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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919918">No one but you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/st1ana/pseuds/st1ana'>st1ana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Newsroom (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baby, F/M, Happy Ending, Heartbreak, Pre-Season/Series 01, Season 1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:55:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,750</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919918</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/st1ana/pseuds/st1ana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s 2007 and Mac has something important to tell Will. About her ex-boyfriend. About herself. About work. There’s just no guarantee he will listen to her. Not even if it's 3 years later.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Will McAvoy &amp; MacKenzie McHale, Will McAvoy/MacKenzie McHale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. When you're gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is co-created by Sofi, who also made a perfect playlist for me to listen while writing and for you to listen while reading. Here’s the link to it: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Bwg2ENdY4gFQDlbsn1den?si=WFJQEeAzSFWssH700I0l2A</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a Tuesday night in 2007. Mac and Will were back at her place to have dinner after a really good broadcast. Will had brought a pack of Stellas and they were having pepperoni pizza. But not until Will realized MacKenzie had a strange face and teased her until she starting blurting words into the story of how a year ago she answered one of Brian’s phone calls and it ended with them spending 4 months in each other’s beds.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So that was what happened. I never saw him again after that night and I’m sorry.” The look on her face was part worried part ashamed. “I never meant to hurt you, Will. It was stupid and I am really sorry.” She was looking down, waiting for Will to say anything but he was frozen gazing the floor. “Please, say something. Anything. Yell at me. Fight me. Curse at me, anything.” She begged still sitting down. Mac didn’t know if she could hold herself together if she stood up, she might fall down or run to his arms to cry on his shoulder.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After what felt like minutes, Will finally looked her in the eyes and got up from the couch. She eargerly looked at him, expecting for him to say whatever the fuck was on his mind. But he didn’t. He turned his back and walked towards the door. “Will, PLEASE!” She reached him and held his hand on the door knob, not letting him open it.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“MacKenzie, please, let it go.” He looked like he was controlling some unspeakable anger. Their nuckles already white because of the strength they were holding the knob.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Will?” She whimpered.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Let it go.” He repeated without even looking at her. She felt the pain he was holding back so she obeyed. He continued to walking away and pressed the elevator’s button. She followed him, her face all wet because of the amount of tears she was silently crying.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Billy, I’m so sorry. I love you.” He nodded and the saddest smile opened on his face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I never loved anyone like I loved you, Mac. But right now, I don’t think I can love you anymore.” He got inside the elevator and Mac stood out in the corridor for a few seconds until the automatic light didn’t sense any movements and turned off.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes, feeling the pain on her chest getting bigger and heavier and passing onto her stomach, making her feel sick. With a strength she didn’t know she had that moment, Mac managed to run inside her apartment in time to reach the bathroom and throw up. She made her way to the shower, taking a long one, letting the water run trough her body while she sat on the floor, thinking what was going to happen with them. Will had left for good? Was he coming back? Was there any way she could redeem herself? Was it the stupidest thing ever that she had told him? Did he mean when he said he couldn’t love her anymore? Had she lost him?</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It took some serious concentration and a lot of energy for her to dry herself and lay in bed. Everything and anything would fill her head with despair. Mac cuddled herself with the blanket and some pillows, wishing to feel Will’s warmth beside her. At some point on the evening, she cried herself to sleep.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning Mac didn’t have enough strength to get out of bed. She called Charlie, lied that she had a cold and asked for 1-2 days off, which he willingly gave her, no questions asked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie’s passivity made her think that maybe Will had already told him and he was also so upset at her that he preferred not to look at her face. But Mac simply didn’t have the energy to think about it. The only thing she could feel or think of was that she had at least that day off.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And he spent the rest of it in bed, still processing the fact that Will hadn’t called, neither answered any of her texts or the 23 voicemails she left him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t do anything besides sleeping until dawn.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Around 2AM, Mac slipped out of bed to eat something, she finally felt hungry. She cut an apple and a banana in a bowl, poured some honey and grabbed a glass of water before sitting on the couch.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She looked around. The only thing she could see was Will. Will watching some football sitting on her couch. Will pulling her closer so he could steal a tender kiss. Will with her on his arms sitting on the couch. Will sitting on the same spot she was that moment, looking disappointed after she told him. Will getting up from the couch looking devastated. Will leaving her apartment.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She felt sick again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac ran to the bathroom and threw up the fruit she had just eaten. When she was finished, she sat down on the floor, leaning her back on the cold tiles. Her hands </span>
  <span>supporting her forehead and a zillion thoughts running trough her head. She needed to eat and not throw up in disgust by her own actions, so she might as well take some pills for it.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She got dressed up in anything she could find and crossed the street to go to the pharmacy on the middle of the night.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, what do you have to avoid vomiting and stop sickness?” She said as politely as she could to the woman behind the counter.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm... What kind of sickness are we talking about? Like, stomach pain, labyrinthitis, morning sickness...?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning sickness?! No, no! I’m not pregnant.” Mac widened her eyes and got defensive.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. So...?” She then realizes the woman wasn’t judging her, but only trying to help. She brought herself to reality after blinking a few times.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really sure the motive. I think it might be my stomach.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll be right back.” Mac stood there in silence, frowning and thinking if there was any chance she might be pregnant. She runned her hands over her face trying to kick that thought out, because after two seconds of thinking, yes, there was a not-small chance she might be knocked up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Like this isn’t complicated enough, dear God.” She whispered trough her teeth looking at the ceiling, holding back some tears.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, ma’am?”</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. Thank you.” She grabbed the medicine and while making her way to the cashier she decided to pass trough the corridor of pregnancy tests. Mac stopped and looked at the thousand types and models there were. Right that moment she wished her mother didn’t still live back in London. She grabbed 3 different tests praying to whatever guardian angel she thought she could have up in heaven.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When she was back at her apartment, Mac couldn’t decide if she wanted to know either she was pregnant or not. She sat on her kitchen table. The 3 tests staring at her on the opposit side of it. Her elbows on the table, her mouth close to her tangled hands.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Being a mother wasn’t actually on her recent plans, but it could be something great. Even though she felt like the world would fall apart, maybe the baby would bring her the love that was taken away from her the night before. There was no real way to know anything for sure.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>2 hours later she had 3 positives.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>By that point Mac was laying on the bathroom floor singing to ABBA songs uninterruptedly because it was the only thing that was keeping her mind away. Her hands laying on her stomach and the lyrics to SOS coming out of her mouth.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When you’re gone</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How can I even try to go on?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When you’re gone</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Though I try, how can I carry on?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She finally heard herself singing. She knew right that moment that she could try her whole life, but she would never be able to go on without Will.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac abruptly got up as if a full shot of life was given to her. She looked for her phone and decided to call Will as many times as it would take for him to answer. He needed to know she was carrying his child.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>_____</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Fifty calls and an uncountable bunch of voicemails later, Mac gave up between tears. She couldn’t deal with the sadness it all brought her. She already blamed the hormones. “Damn you, testosterone”. Mac also e-mailed Will, hoping that subjects like “will i need to talk to you”, “it’s not to say i’m sorry”, “it’s serious”, would convince him to call her back. But he simply didn’t.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The days off she asked Charlie were up and she needed to make a huge decision as to confront Will or let him be.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She decided to go to ACN.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Either pick an everyday-battle with him at work or respect his decision and resign.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She chose a green blouse.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Convince him to say something to her or understand he was gone for good.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed the black skirt she adored.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The resignation letter, which was her back up plan, already on her purse.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She put her favorite black pair of Louboutin on.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He could fire her, yell at her, be surprised or hate that she was there, but she was determined to tell him about the baby looking Will in the eyes.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Running away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Reminder that there's a great playlist for you to listen while reading if you like: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Bwg2ENdY4gFQDlbsn1den?si=p1LjobJnRFyBSNNjNXfJTQ</p>
<p>Also, check out the awesome Mac and Will edit my talented friend Sofi made: https://twitter.com/streeprafferty/status/1377729027742568449?s=20</p>
<p>Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The days were dragging on uncontrollably.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After leaving MacKenzie’s apartment that Tuesday night, Will drank himself to sleep every subsequent night to forget her face. He did not know how work was going. He would ask Don to put everything on the prompter and for the last few days he had been reading practically the entire broadcast. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Will couldn’t find the energy to feel bad about it. His broken heart was insufferable. He couldn’t handle anything else but the pain of losing the love of his life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even worse, he didn’t manage to handle the pain, he just drank it away. The half dozen cigarettes he used to smoke turned into a whole pack per day. Each cigarette a flash flood of questions and unconceivable thoughts hit him. Will couldn’t understand. He had been a good boyfriend. NO! AN AMAZING ONE! He had loved her since the day he laid eyes on her. Since the very first moment she said “I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to tie a Windsor knot” and without even knowing her full name, she put her hands on his neck and redid the whole thing. He always made her laugh. He always did everything for her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>What did I ever did wrong?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When MacKenzie didn’t show up for work for the next day or so he was relieved. He wouldn’t be able to face her without being mean, sarcastic and awful. He only had anger to give. And that was what the whole team was receiving. Charlie did ask him what was happening, but he didn’t find the words to explain better than “MacKenzie lied. We’re not together anymore”. He didn’t ask anything else. He could see the excruciating pain his friend was on. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which is why he also gave Mac those days off. No questions asked. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it was only Friday he felt the reality coming in close to him, when Charlie phoned him saying that MacKenzie had just went trough the lobby and was making her way up to the 36th floor. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Will froze all over again. It was still way before broadcast, he wasn’t drunk enough to deal with her. Right then, someone came over to his office and started talking some nonsense he just couldn’t seem to listen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He got up from his chair and practically ran out of the bullpen. He took two flights of stairs down before taking the elevator just to make sure he wasn’t going to bump into MacKenzie. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, 2 days went through. Yes, there was a lot of things he wanted to say to her now. But still, he wasn’t ready to hear what she had to say. He was too upset and heartbroken and mad to care about anything she had to say.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He went out of the building, grabbed a taxi and told the driver to “stop at the end of the block”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back at ACN, MacKenzie was almot shaking in fear on her way up. She didn’t know if Will was going to yell or ignore her or tell her to leave or even react. She wanted to talk so badly. She wanted to say to his face she was so happy she was bearing his child and hoped that eventually he could forgive her. She didn’t mind waiting. She would love him even if he said he never wanted to see her again. Mac had her whole speech ready. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The only thing she wasn’t prepared for was Will not being there because he left. That was what his current assistant told her. “He just left in a rush, I don’t even know where he was headed but seemed urgent. He was kind of running.” <em>Yes, Sasha. Running away from me. Not to even look at my face.</em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, boy, he hates me so much. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mac said hello to a few people, but avoided looking them in the eyes or else they’d realize she wanted to cry. She sadly made her way to Charlie’s office. If there was anyone who told Will she was coming, it was him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why did you tell him I was coming up?” She questioned barging on Charlie’s office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mac.” She put a fed up face on. “He’s not ready yet, Mac.” She hid her face looking down again because right that moment she really thought Will had told him. And that was very embarrassing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Does he hate me?” There was a whisper coming from her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Even if I did know the answer to that, I couldn’t be the one to tell you.” She nodded. “I’m sorry.” Mac repeated the movement, knowing now what she had to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She reached inside her purse and took an envelope out. Silently, she gave it to Charlie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is this?” He grabbed it, frowning. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think you know what it is. Please, tell him I’m sorry again. Send the team my regards. Thank you for everything, Charlie.” He ripped the envelope open and while Mac walked away from his office he read her resignation letter. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>2 weeks later and Charlie still hadn’t told Will that MacKenzie resigned. He waited for her to change her mind, maybe it was just a fight. “You know, Nancy, they’re both very temperamental and intense. Will’s hurt but I don’t think it’s gonna last, they love each other”, he came around to tell his wife. So he held the resignation letter and waited 2 weeks before reaching out to Mac. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They met in a coffee shop a few blocks away from the office. She arrived right on time. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Charlie.” Mac said sitting down on the table Charlie picked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hi, Mac.” He answered with the nicest smile. “How are you doing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m doing better, actually. I’ve been hired by Fox News to produce a morning show.” Mac didn’t know why she threw that into the conversation so fast.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, it’s final. You’re not coming back.” He asked shaking his head. She shook hers back, looking sad. “Mac...” Her head tilted encouraging her friend to continue. “What happened between you two?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Will didn’t tell you?” Mac frowned bringing her body closer to the table. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not a peep.” She seemed shocked that he didn’t. That day in Charlie’s office, she was sure he had told him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But thinking back, Will had no real friends but Charlie, what if he was suffering alone, keeping all the pain to himself? She needed to let Charlie into Will’s heart, even if indirectly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright. I’m gonna tell you, because I need you to take care of him for me.” He nodded closing his eyes. It almost felt like a “cross my heart” promise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so, she went on and told Charlie what happened with Brian. And then with Will. She was prepared for judgment and mad faces, but the only thing she received from Charlie was nodding and an “I’m sorry it had to end this way”. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Me too, Charlie. Me too.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t ask questions. He only listened to what she said. And Mac was glad. This silence was nothing alike the one Will gave out. It didn’t feel as excruciating. That one didn’t made her heart bleed inside of her chest. Neither vomit right after. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now, tell me about Fox.” In no time Charlie sipped his coffee and switched subjects. He was already informed, he didn’t need to take sides. Exactly because he felt in her voice how sorry Mac was and how intensely she knew it was her fault. It was enough condemnation for one person. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, as I said, I’m replacing their morning show EP. It’s lighter work, family friendly, some afternoons off... I’m starting next week. I think I’ll be fine, they seemed like nice people.” She said not particularly excited or interested on what she was saying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Family friendly? Is that anything like you?” Mac shrugged and looked down to her stomach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It has to be now.” Her throat almost closed. She felt some tears go up to her eyes. <em>Shut up, hormones. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you mean, Mac? There’s always room for you to do the news at a night show. I can arrange some meetings for you. Will doesn’t have to-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No. I mean I have to be more family friendly from now on.” He stopped. She paused. “I’m pregnant, Charlie. Pregnant with Will’s baby.” For a whole minute he was frozen. Trying to find the words. Finally, Charlie opened a smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mac, that is... Congratulations!” His voice was soft. As his expression.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, I think so. Thank you.” Mac was holding back the tears she wanted to cry. She had to stop crying everytime she opened her mouth. She noticed Charlie’s smile fading until it was gone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You have to tell him.” She shook her head. Mac knew she wouldn’t be able to be that strong. “This is gonna change everything.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s the problem. I don’t want him in my life out of pity. Barely looking at me and... resenting me deep down. He’s gonna hate me forever if I tell him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He wouldn’t hate you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, but right now he does.” A sarcastic exhale came out of her teary face. “I don’t know for how long he is going to, but now he does. And if I tell him, it’s going to put him on this... awful position of having to deal with me, having to be a father. I wouldn’t be able to hold on to that guilt.” Her hands were placed on her chest showing part of the guilt she was already carrying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Charlie nodded. He knew Will, he was one of his closest friends and he loved him. But Charlie would be lying if he said he knew exactly how Will was going to react to that. MacKenzie knew him that much, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I tried everything, I swear. Going to ACN was my last resort. I... He doesn’t wanna see me. That’s okay, I have to respect his pain, too.” Charlie wished deep in his core he knew about the baby before. He would’ve never tipped Will off if he did. He looked down, sighed sadly and decided what to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just to be on the record, I was planning this whole speech of how you should stay and the joys of News Night and how great is our show and how he desperately needs you to even function.” A sweet but weak smile appeared on his face. “But right now I see you need to be somewhere else.” Mac nodded thanking her imaginary guardian angel that she didn’t have to fight to leave. “Promise me we’re gonna do this every month. You can come around my house, Nancy can cook and we can share stories on how to be a parent and the whole package.” Charlie was already a father to two girls - now, two women -, but there it was his oldest daughter. The one from the heart. And she needed some comforting, especially when he knew her family lived all the way back in England.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d like that very much.” Mac smiled as wide as she could. “But in exchange, I need you to promise me you’re not going to say anything about the pregnancy to Will. Anything. Not hints, not if he asks if you know how I’m doing. Nothing!” Her hands moved a lot and that’s how Charlie knew she was nervous about that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Absolutely. If he didn’t want to hear what I had to say, I don’t want him to know at all.” It seemed like she had made a snap decision. He could work with that. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure. I promise. But think about it. We’re gonna see each other every month from now on, so if you ever change your mind I could... I don’t know, bring him down here with me and truss him on this chair for you.” He said softly, making her smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you, Charlie.” She said keeping the sad smile on her face. Not knowing what to expect from life to that moment on. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. March 9th, 2008</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In the next two years, Charlie and Mac got pretty close. He actually kept his promise and Nancy would once a week, at Thursdays, cook some dinner for Mac to get some family time. They practically took her in and she couldn’t say thank you enough. There was no gesture, money or love that would repay all the things Charlie and Nancy did for her. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first few weeks, Will would question Charlie on why he didn’t stay on the studio for the live broadcasts at Thursdays. He put the blame on Nancy. “It’s some new rule about family dinner, you know.” He shrugged. Will seemed convinced and didn’t ask any more questions about Thursdays nights. Charlie was glad. But he hated lying to Will. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even though Charlie saw Mac getting her life together as best as she could, he also watched as Will became more and more distant. He reached out a few times, but the hard headed wouldn’t admit he missed the love of his life, so Charlie didn’t push it. He wasn’t an adolescent. But seeing Will suffer, those were the hardest times to keep MacKenzie’s secret. Which was now his secret, too. He was taking the woman who broke his best friend’s heart in.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>For what was worth, Charlie didn’t regret it, nor he would have made it any different. He knew, for sure, when Will eventually were to find out, he would lose his mind over the lying. That was the whole reason why he broke up with MacKenzie in the first place. Will felt the love, he wasn’t crazy. But the lying was unexcusable. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Charlie also knew that when he cooled down, Will would see the bright side of him taking care of Mac while she was bearing his child. He was sure Will wouldn’t want it any other way. So he didn’t care if his friend demolished AWM’s building with his bare hands. He felt like he needed to look after Mac. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>For that, MacKenzie was grateful to her last strand of hair. Especially because she knew Charlie kept his promise of not telling Will anything, but it didn’t work both ways. He answered every question Mac asked about Will, which were many. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is he eating right? Are there many women? How many times he’s changed assistants so far? Are you sure he has no idea that I’m pregnant? Did he ask for me? Is he too upset.... </span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Charlie could hear her voice inside his brain if he was quiet enough. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, the questions decreased. They turned into casual dinner talking, just so she knew how alive Will was. But that killed her. Every tiny part of her body hurt knowing she shouldn’t reach out to Will.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she found out on her third ultrasound that she was having a boy, half of her tears was happiness. The other half was sadness. She missed him like hell. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry was born on March 9th, 2008. On that day there was an important guest coming on the morning show to talk about the Summer Olympics to be hold on Beijing that same year. In the middle of live broadcast, Mac felt a great deal of pain. No, she didn’t take some weeks off before the baby was born. She just kept on working until her water broke. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jim, one of her closest friends from the new job, an associate producer for the show, ran with her to the hospital. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I NEED YOU TO CALL CHARLIE, JIM!” He was the only one she could think of that needed to be let know her baby was coming to the world. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF GETTING US A CAB!” Jim didn’t know if he should wave, run to the middle of the street to get some driver’s attentions or if he helped MacKenzie to be on her feet.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aaaaaaaargh!” Mac twisted herself in pain until she got to the hospital. Some nurses took her in, on a wheelchair and lead her inside while Jim stayed behind to check her in. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take long for Charlie to arrive. Jim was sitting, nervously, on the waiting room. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi, are you Jim Harper?” He asked mentioned the name that was informed to him on the call Jim made to his phone.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charlie Skinner, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you!” The younger one said, shaking the hand of the president of ACN. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there any news?” Charlie montioned to the doors that took to the corridor.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, not yet. It’s been only 10 minutes we’ve been here.” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright. I’m going to say and wait for the doctor. So, if you need to be someplace else...” He said gently, trying not to sound rude.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, I think I’ll wait, too, if that’s ok.” Jim answered copying the tone of voice. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, sure!” They sat down side by side. Awkwardly. “So... You and MacKenzie...?” Charlie poked checking if Mac hadn’t told him about new guys on her life.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-we work together. She’s my boss. I am kind of her closest friend at Fox, so, when her water broke and we were in the middle of live broadcast, I helped.” He explained frankly. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I see! Thank you for bringing her here. I told her to stay home this week, but she’s just stubborn and a workaholic.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s kind of her M.O.” They shared a laugh.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly.” The conversation ended and there was an odd silence between them. But Charlie didn’t care. He used the time to call Nancy to tell her about the baby. He also called Will to tell him he wasn’t going to work that night - from which he got a bunch of unnecessary questions he had to dodge from. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>An hour later, when the doctor came out from the corridor, Charlie and Jim got up from their seats. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charlie?” The doctor confirmed the information MacKenzie gave him inside.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” He answered promptly. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a healthy baby boy! If you want, she’s already in a room, you can come in!” In a strange urge of happiness the two almost strangers hugged, sharing the joy for Mac. “It’s the room 615. Sixth floor.” They thanked the doctor and as fast as they could they hopped into the elevator and marched to Mac’s room.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Charlie lightly knocked before coming in.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi, Mac!” He whispered not to scare the newborn.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” She was sitting with the baby on her arms. “Say hi to uncle Charlie.” Mac said looking to her child.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi, little one.” Charlie got closer to them, his smile was as big as his bow tie. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Mac. Are you feeling okay?” Jim asked entering the room.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jim! You waited!” Mac opened a big and surprised smile.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. I need to be back and report his name, how much he weights and how cute he is to the whole team.” The three of them chuckled.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well... Meet Harry Alexander McHale.” With one of her fingers, Mac caressed the baby’s head, feeling emotional. Jim and Charlie seemed speechless. They both watched the baby moving his little hands, opening his little mouth and trying to grab Mac’s fingers. They were shining together.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s the prettiest baby boy I’ve ever seen.” Jim said standing by the end of her bed.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Jim. And sincerely, the rest of the information you asked for, I don’t remember right now. But I can get back at you eventually.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” He smiled at her disposition for making jokes already. “I’ll let you two, I’m gonna head back to work.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for your help, Jim.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, Mac.” He said before leaving Mac and Charlie alone with Harry. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charlie, I’m so happy!” She really seemed like flying and soaring away just by the smile she had on her face. Mac held her baby like the whole world was on her arms. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can see that. He’s adorable.” Mac nodded brining her look down again. “Have you changed your mind?” The question took her eyes to Charlie. She knew he meant about telling Will.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right now? Yes, kind of. I really wish he was here.” Yes, she felt like holding her whole world, and that’s exactly why she also felt like sharing it with Will. “But I also know it’s not fair to tell him right now. What would I say? Hi, remember 9 months ago when we made love and then you left me? Yeah, his name is Harry...?” She said sarcastically and shrugging. “So, no, I haven’t changed my mind.” Charlie nodded. For now, he had received the message.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to call your mother? I can help.” If there was one thing he knew how to do superbly was changing subjects like nothing ever happened. It was one of the things Mac adored the most about him.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you need to be at ACN?” Her question made him put his arms up in a surrender position.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am not leaving this room until you do. Or until Nancy can switch places with me. We’re not leaving you alone.” For her whole pregnancy MacKenzie blamed her hormones for making her cry for stupid things, but that moment she knew it wasn’t anything else but her love and gratitude for Charlie and Nancy. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mac, of course. This kid is like my grandson. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Mac smiled while she watched Charlie grab her phone and pull a chair closer to her bed so they could call her mother to tell she’d just had the most beautiful baby boy ever. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right that moment MacKenzie knew who would be Harry’s godfather.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Unbreak the broken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>On that very night Harry was born Will picked up some random girl at a bar. She was caressing his ego, he felt lonely and drunk. He was a mess and kept on looking for a warm body to fill in Mac’s void on his bed even after 9 months.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took three stupid sentences out of the girl’s</span>
  <span> mouth </span>
  <span>for</span>
  <span> Will to lose his patience and send her home. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I’m sorry, I’ll pay for your cab, but I need you to leave.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you serious?” He hadn’t realize how obnoxious her voice was until he heard it on the silence of his apartment. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have no idea.” He sighed grabbing a 20 from his wallet and putting it on the counter.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl dressed in </span>
  <span>an </span>
  <span>awful purple dress he could now see clearly, took the bill and made the most teenager of the faces. “People said you were an asshole, but I didn’t think it was that much.” She stormed out.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will walked up to his own bar. “It’s way worse...” He said out loud pouring some </span>
  <span>whiske</span>
  <span>y</span>
  <span> on a glass. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>His nerves were already ticking because he knew what was coming for him since the night went all wrong: thinking about MacKenzie. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>His body leaned on the cold railing of his balcony feeling the even colder breeze of a March night in New York. Will played with the glass on his fingers. He missed he</span>
  <span>r like </span>
  <span>hell</span>
  <span> and she wasn’t there</span>
  <span> to </span>
  <span>anno</span>
  <span>y</span>
  
  <span>him </span>
  <span>into</span>
  
  <span>b</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span>. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those lonely and quiet nights were the hardest ones to remember the anger he felt towards all of MacKenzie’s lying. Because those were the </span>
  <span>momen</span>
  <span>ts</span>
  <span> he wished to love her all night long. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes covering the city lights, his mind spinning around reasoning with himself that what he did was right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But was it? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wanted her to forget everything</span>
  <span> he </span>
  <span>said</span>
  <span>. And be </span>
  <span>ab</span>
  <span>le</span>
  <span> to f</span>
  <span>orget what she said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She did not mean to hurt me. </span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it was too late, right? There was no way Mac could take </span>
  <span>everything </span>
  <span>back. There was simply no way she could unpack the boxes that the team packed on her office when she resigned. Which, sincerely, felt like a </span>
  <span>rel</span>
  <span>ief</span>
  <span> when it happened, but</span>
  
  <span>now</span>
  <span> Will wanted to punch Don Keefer</span>
  <span> for </span>
  <span>taking</span>
  
  <span>Mac’s job. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will missed her smell on his shirts but also her voice on his ear when he was about to go live nationally. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was part of his thoughts that were rational and tried to keep him </span>
  <span>away</span>
  <span> from</span>
  <span> his strong and passionate emotions towards Mac. But at that point, after that many drinks and after dismissing some 20 year old girl, Will didn’t even want the control over his brain. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was </span>
  <span>usually</span>
  
  <span>when the problems started. Will felt like he didn’t know himself anymore, he didn’t want that bitter, angry, unresolved middle-aged man on his head 24/7. And he feared that, maybe, MacKenzie </span>
  <span>wouldn’t</span>
  <span> want him around either</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>ever</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the worst part, but Will got the feeling that she would never need him again.  </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which is why that part of him hoped she still cared. And that she missed him, too. Especially because he was well aware of the amount of time he spent thinking about having her back.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>His phone rang</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will looked towards the sound and he didn’t notice, but he held his breath, thinking that maybe it was her. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pacing around looking for the phone was a bit longer than he expected. He feared that if it was </span>
  <span>Mac</span>
  <span>, she would hang up. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But</span>
  
  <span>w</span>
  <span>hen he finally found it, he exhaled, annoyed. It was a stupid alarm for an even more stupid medicine. He turned it off and stared at the phone. Will was willing to do something rash. He knew he had to think twice. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or maybe not think at all.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scrolled through his agenda, but what he suddenly remember was that he changed phones, and changed numbers, so her contact info wouldn’t be saved. And Mac wouldn’t be able to call him</span>
  
  <span>a</span>
  <span>gain</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckled with the irony. Will felt as stupid, as vulnerable and as crazy as ever. His rational part coming back. He was trying to reach out the woman who </span>
  <span>brok</span>
  <span>e</span>
  <span> his heart</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>w</span>
  <span>hich</span>
  
  <span>w</span>
  <span>as</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>maybe,</span>
  <span> the </span>
  <span>only</span>
  <span> one </span>
  <span>he </span>
  <span>would</span>
  
  <span>ever</span>
  
  <span>be </span>
  <span>capable</span>
  <span> of </span>
  <span>lov</span>
  <span>ing</span>
  <span>. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac’s parents flew to New York to meet their grandson and to help her </span>
  <span>th</span>
  <span>rough</span>
  <span> the first few weeks of parenting. They decided to stay longer when Mac was needed at work faster than she had planned and her mom wouldn’t leave for any circumstance. She wasn’t complaining. Mac missed having her parents close every single day.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, her mom presented Mac the idea of them moving to New York. Grandma Rosie didn’t want to leave. Nor her grandkid, neither her only daughter.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have been apart for too long now, honey. I want to be near you and near Harry.” Rosie said while watching baby Harry sleep on his crib.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom, that’s sweet, but what about dad and the office?” Mac was going to enjoy th</span>
  <span>at</span>
  <span> moment </span>
  <span>of </span>
  <span>Harry </span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span>leeping</span>
  
  <span>to take a good shower. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind retiring, Mac. He would do anything for you.” The younger frowned. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even leaving behind the thing he loves the most?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would be you and me.” Mac held her mom’s look. “I hope.” They smiled holding a weak laugh not to wake the baby. That sounded more accurate.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But what about your job?” MacKenzie did miss her parents, but she wasn’t sure she could afford everyone. Her, Harry, Rosie and George. Fox wasn’t that glamourous for a morning show EP.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can do my job anywhere. These days I barely go into the magazine. I just receive the e-mails with what needs to be translated.” </span>
  <span>Rosie </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span> a </span>
  <span>profe</span>
  <span>ssional</span>
  
  <span>tran</span>
  <span>slator</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>being</span>
  
  <span>fluent</span>
  <span> in</span>
  
  <span>Greek, </span>
  <span>Latin and Sp</span>
  <span>anish. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. I’m trying not to get excited too soon about this idea, but... I like it.” She considered while being accompanied by her mother to the bathroom.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yoo-hoo! I’m going to convince your father, no matter what!” Rosie smacked a kiss on her cheek and left with an incomparable smile. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rosie moved in to the building across the street two months later. Harry was almost 8 months by then. George, Mac’s father, as predicted, couldn’t leave his job right then, so he kept on going back and forth to be as much as he could with his girls and his grandson, while still working for his firm. Most things he could arrange from the States. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>At some point, he even managed to expand his business into a small branch in New York City which was his excuse to move definitely to the city, to sell the house in London and work at the Big Apple. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only impediment was his passing. George suffered a fulminant heart attack on a Sunday morning in February, 2009. A few weeks prior to Harry’s 1st birthday.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the morning of the funeral Mac didn’t have the heart of taking her almost one year old to the burying of his so beloved “pa”. It would simply break her heart everytime Harry hugged her mom and asked for George. And so, Mac decided to take him to Charlie’s house for a few hours.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I swear it won’t take long. I’ll be back faster than you imagine.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mac, don’t worry. He’ll be ok.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Charlie.” She couldn’t help but have tears in her eyes those days. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>What MacKenzie didn’t expect that day, however, was to have her heart racing in a million beats per minute. Especially because, with her father gone, it didn’t really feel like her heart could work at all.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But when Mac saw Will standing a few feet away, the whole world stoped and the only thing actually working was her heart. Pounding in her chest like it had never been so confused, overwhelmed, happy, sad, emotional and exhausted at the same time. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinked. Their gaze as strong as the first passionate kiss they exchanged a few years back. Will could almost feel the touch of her lips on his. Part of him wanted to do just that. And hug her and tuck her in that night, knowing the only thing that would calm her tears was his hands caressing her hair.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded pressing his lips showing his condolences. Mac could almost hear him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She repeated his movement. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned back to look down. Her eyes instantly close</span>
  <span>d</span>
  <span> because a flood of tears invaded her face. Non-stop. For one, because she didn’t know for which awful feeling she was crying for. Anger, sadness, grief, longing, love, loss. For another, because she knew if she turned around again Will wouldn’t be there anymore. They wouldn’t be able to talk. Again. Even after </span>
  <span>tha</span>
  <span>t whole time </span>
  <span>later.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will wasn’t sure she should go to the funeral until the very last minute. Charlie had called him that morning. “I didn’t know either I should tell you or not, but I might regret not doing so”. He paused. It was bad news somehow. Will’s body tightened up. “MacKenzie’s dad passed away. He’s being buried today at the NYC Marble.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hearing about her should be enfuriating for him, but that was just sad and the only thing he wished was that he could comfort her somehow. After so many rejected calls and messages Will wouldn’t have the courage to call her. He knew he needed to be there for Mac. He just wasn’t sure she would think the same way.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dressed up, put on a suit. Even though it was brief, George and him had a great and friendly relationship. It wouldn’t be fair not to be there. At the same time, he did run away from MacKenzie every single time she tried to talk to him. How would he run away from a funeral if she approached him? He felt awful that even after the whole year and </span>
  <span>eight</span>
  <span> months he couldn’t feel anything but disappointment and a bit of resentment. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he saw himself getting out of the cab in front of the cemetery, Will thought of leaving. But somehow Charlie’s voice stuck on his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I might regret not doing so</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And he walked in.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Will saw her, standing as tall as she could watching her father get buried, he was glad he chose to go. He stopped walking a few feet away from where she was. The slight breeze of that sunny day moved just enough strands of her hair to let Will see her face. It was red from crying, but as beautiful as ever.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, even though he knew it would probably happen, when she looked up and turned to his direction, Will felt a thousand trains wrecks happening inside of him. He was sorry. He loved her. He hated her? He missed her. He wished her the best. </span>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e </span>
  <span>needed to g</span>
  <span>o. </span>
  <span>He was sorry he was so rash. </span>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e felt like </span>
  <span>wal</span>
  <span>king away. </span>
  <span>He was sorry for her father. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last statement there was no doubt on it. But he wasn’t sure about anything else. Deep, deep in his heart, Will wanted to erase the bad memories and be able to love her again. He would give anything just to hear her say how life was better with him. Just to be able to drive past the places they used to go without feeling his heart ache. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, there was no better medicine to that than whiskey and time. He was the living proof of that.</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! Lemme know in the comments if you guys are liking it and what are your thoughts! ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Thinking out loud</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You'll have to excuse and forgive me for using a 2014 song in a story that is set in 2010, but I simply fell in love with the idea and had to write it...</p><p>Hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Throughout the next year, Mac and her mom made everything possible so Rosie would settle down in New York. They managed to sell the London house and her father’s part of the company. Rosie brought the last of their stuff to the States four months later George’s passing. Harry was a year and 4 months old.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac was beyond glad her mom had moved to the city, her help had been essential and gigantic. Raising a kid did take a village, even if you worked on a family-friendly, kind of part time job.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rosie would play with her grandson the entire day. She would also help MacKenzie by cooking and doing some laundering, since she knew her daughter wasn’t  the typical housewife. Rosie loved helping out. First, because it was on her motherly instincts, but more importantly, it helped distract her from George’s absence. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, Harry was the joy of the house. He had been walking up and down the apartment. Taking long walks at the park with Grandma Rosie and saying a lot of “mama”s to get Mac’s attention. He was a smart little boy, as he should. MacKenzie wouldn’t expect any less from a kid with hers and Will’s genes. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Damn it, Billy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Everyday she would look herself at the mirror before going to work and she’d try to convince herself that that was the day she was going to march down to ACN, get in Will’s office and tell him with a straight face: “We have a kid together. When you left I was pregnant and didn’t have the balls to tell you, so he’s almost 2 now”. And wouldn’t leave until he was done yelling. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But, yeah, she never came to do so.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Part of her didn’t know how she would ever find the courage to tell Will the truth. But the other part of her couldn’t figure out how life would be without Will if she never told him. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes she would sit on the couch, look at nowhere and try to understand that feeling of belonging to Will. Mac knew, somehow, they were meant to meet again, be on each other’s routines again, because there was no way their story had ended like that. There was still so much love...</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Every other day, although, she was certain that there was nothing she could do that would make Will forgive and love her again. Those were the majority of days. So that courage to march down to his office would never actually turn up on her. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But Mac didn’t see coming what Charlie had been planning. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>___</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mac, I think you should come here to see this!” Rosie yelled from the living room and Mac, that was getting ready to take a shower, walked to where her mom was.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” The oldest didn’t say a thing. Instead, she pointed to where Harry was.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He was sitting really close to the TV, watching it. Paying close attention to Will’s face on it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>MacKenzie’s body froze up. Her eyes widened looking at that scene. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Will was babbling something about firefighters who had saved dogs and Harry seemed to enjoy listening to his voice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know how to feel. Actually, she didn’t know why that freaked her out so much. But somehow, seeing Harry sympathizing with his father, without even knowing him, warmed her heart at the same time that made her mind spin. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rosie was staring at her frozen figure trying to understand what she should do. She had no idea it would make MacKenzie so upset seeing Harry enjoying News Night.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Particularly because, when asked, her daughter would always said “Will is gone, okay? Nothing in here for him anymore”, while pointing to her heart. Of course Rosie didn’t believe any word of that or any other “I’m over him” speeches. But her reaction was something else. She couldn’t see that coming. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac got out of that daze by the touch of her mother’s hand on her shoulder. She blinked a few times before walking towards Harry. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, baby.” She knelt next to him, caressing his back while staring directly at Will on the monitor. “It’s bedtime. Let’s go?” Harry nodded looking at her. He got up and put himself in front of the TV again. Mac watched him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Good evin!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” (Good evening) He said as soon as Will’s face appeared back on the screen. This time, Mac’s eyes narrowed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How many fucking times has he watched this?!</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She brushed his teeth and changed him into pajamas. As Mac was rocking Harry to sleep, she couldn’t resist but share a piece of her mind.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you like the man from the news, huh? Will?” She looked down at him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Will.” Harry repeated nodding. She smiled. That was so worth it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, big guy.” She began humming to ‘Dream a little dream’ and in a few minutes Harry was already asleep. She tucked him in on his crib. He took a deep, deep breath and seemed as peaceful as ever. Mac caressed his hair.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She was no longer freaked out. There was only a very amazing feeling of happiness in her heart. Which she wished that, someday, she could tell Will about. Tell him how their son was so incredible that he said his dad’s name even before knowing it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That was one of those moments in which she was sure Will would’ve been happy with them. And that she wanted to run to him and yell from the top of her lungs they had a kid. She still loved him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please, forgive me.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But when she opened her eyes she was still inside the apartment. Just trying to get ready for a shower. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was two weeks away from Harry’s 2nd birthday. Charlie and Nancy had offered their house to throw the birthday party so there’d be more space to decorate. At first, Mac didn’t take up on the offer, but it took only one dinner at a Thursday to convince her she should use the house. Nancy and Rosie guaranteed she wouldn’t have to worry for a minute. They would go shopping for everything together and throw the perfect birthday party. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Harry chose a pirate themed party and they rented a full pirate ship playground for him and some of his friends from the park. The playground was installed on Charlie’s garage because of the cold that was outside. The kids’ moms and some of Mac’s closest colleagues were the adult part of the celebration. They served some wine and finger foods.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, when Mac was alone watching Harry share a big laugh with her mom, Charlie approached her and stood by her side for a whole minute before breaking the silence, as if he was measuring his words.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Mac. I’ve been thinking...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I felt your judgemental look.” She said shaking her head and pressing her lips. Charlie smiled at her dramatic reaction. “What is it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span> “I need you to come back to ACN.” Mac threw an actual judgemental look at him, like he was insane or maybe testing her own sanity.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you sleep alright last night?” Her face was still showing complete bewilderment.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, as you’ve been watching, Will has now descented into complete surrender.” Charlie continued to expose his agenda while enjoying Harry having fun. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I... haven’t been... watching.” Mac stated frowning looking away from Charlie.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, MacKenzie, for God’s sake, tell me you don’t put Harry to sleep every night, turn the TV on at ACN and eat your dinner in front of it.” Considering the episode with Harry the other night, no, she was avoiding the TV. Or Will’s face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t do that...” The tone of her voice completely squeaky while she tried to stay serious and convincing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. For the sake of the argument, let’s say you don’t do that, so you have no idea what’s going on with News Night and I have to tell you the show sucks.” Charlie shrugged while mocking MacKenzie with his hands. “Will let go of everything he believed. I adore the company of my friend, but the anchor guy makes me want to... run away. He doesn’t make hard decisions, he chooses the soft sides of the stories. He yells at anyone who crosses his way. Will needs someone to lay the pavement again, he needs a light at the end of the tunnel, Mac. I want you to take over News Night.” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlie, I’m not the right person for the job anymore.” She said shaking her head. There was no possible fucking way she could be anything but a failure if she worked with Will again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What? You’re the </span>
  <span>only</span>
  <span> right person for it!” He emphasized.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“So, you’re not offering me the job in spite of my story with Will. You’re offering it to me because of it.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> On her head, there was no logical explanation for Charlie to take her as an EP while he deliberately knew about their history — and the chaos around Harry that was still upcoming.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m offering it to you because you’re my best hope of turning our flagship news hour into something we’re proud of.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mac didn’t move, nor responded. She looked down. Part considering, part analizying the absurdity of the request. “He’s lonely, Mac. You know how shut down he is. He doesn’t talk to his family, he doesn’t have any friends besides me. His colleagues fear him. You were his everything and I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, but because it’s the ugly truth: when he let you go, his world fell apart. He saw himself all alone again and simply shut down. The only human response he looked for, if you can ever call it that, was the audience. He only cares to what Twitter has to say about the broadcast. How many likes an instagram post can get him. And you know how hard and cruel relying on an audience can be.” MacKenzie nodded.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She had been watching News Night every night ever since she resigned. At first because she really enjoyed the amazing show she and Will had put together, it was a great source of information and a very good news program, especially for someone who adored the news as she did.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But then, she watched closely as the show fell to pieces, while it was being decharacterized to a soft and audience-catcher program. By that point the solemnly reason why she kept on watching was Will. She could deny it out loud, for Charlie. But it was impossible to lie to herself. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlie, how would I face him right now? With a 2 year old kid?” She pointed to Harry. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess you’re stronger now.” She listened closely. “What he needs is your sarcastic, kind and uplifting mood around. He needs a worthy oponent, Mac. You’re the only one who can handle him.” Before she could answer something she’d probably regret, Mac finished the wine on her glass.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What happens to Don Keefer?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He moves to 10 o’clock where Elliot Hirsch is taking over.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She nodded putting the empty glass on the high table behind them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don is a smart guy and, from what I hear, a good EP. What makes you think that I’ll have better luck than Don</span>
  </em>
  <span> at making it work?” Mac crossed her arms expecting some made up answer about her qualities and annoying ways of leading a team.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Because Will doesn’t care about impressing Don.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Charlie’s words made Mac chuckle weakly in shock. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, c’mon. I’m practically dead for the guy. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t think he’s that interested in what I think of him.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Charlie paused. He knew she was now interested and very hooked up on the idea of getting back on the battlefield of working with the love of her life, momentary ex-boyfriend and father of her kid.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That maybe the only thing he’s interested in.” </span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>___</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That night when she came back to her apartment, after the party, after helping cleaning up the whole thing, after finally calming Harry’s energy down and putting him to sleep, she decided to make herself a cup of tea. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When the kettle whistled, it took a few seconds for her to respond to it. Mac was sitting on the couch, reliving the moment she realized she could love and marry and grow old with Will. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As she was pouring the hot water to make the tea, Mac remembered there was an old photograph of them tucked away in a drawer on her nightstand. She kept trying to visualize the image without the need of having the picture on her hands, but it was impossible. Leaving the tea cup on the center table, she walked into her room and knelt in front of the nightstand to search for it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was taken around winter in 2006 in a journalistic event they had attended to, in which Will had been nominated for Anchor of the Year. Maybe it was February, but she wasn’t sure. The only thing she remembered was that it was the first time Will held her hand in public and introduced her as his girlfriend. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac also remembered how she felt like walking on clouds while trying to racionalize the whole thing by thinking “yeah, I am falling in love with Will McAvoy. But you got this, MacKenzie.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But, actually, the moment that would be forever stuck on her mind was the way he snuck their way out, without even waiting for his category to be announced.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Winter, 2006.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing? What if you win?” Mac asked Will, who was pulling her away from the crowd and deeper into the building.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no chance I’ll beat Alex Levy this year. Besides, I’m with you. I already won.” He answered shrugging and studying their next move, as trivially as ever. Mac’s jaw dropped. She had a smitten look on her face and she moved her head as he was doing to try and look into his eyes again. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t just do these things!” Her tone of voice was softer than usual. Will ignoring an award he would probably win for her was definitely the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Do what?” Will was cheerful and pretending he didn’t plan on surprising her like that.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me away from crowds, sweep me off my feet like this!” He smiled admiring her expression and how tightly she was holding his hand. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? Afraid you won’t be able to recover?” He charmingly said. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, actually! Aren’t you?” MacKenzie quickly and loudly answered, frowning. She couldn’t believe the butterflies on her stomach and the speed of her heartbeats. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, honey, I wouldn’t be able to recover, even if we fucked this up.” Mac put the hand he wasn’t holding on her chest, like it was hurting.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You doing it again! Sweeping me off my feet! Stoooop!” She shook the hand up in the air.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I could. Maybe. Tomorrow. I need a truce for tonight.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, my God, where are you taking me? Do I need my wedding gown?” Will laughed at her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Mac, not today.” She didn’t quite notice how much air she needed that moment, but she took a long, passionate sigh before following him. “Wait, did you just say you have a wedding dress?” Will abruptly stopped walking.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I have the perfect Monique Lhuillier wedding gown right here.” Mac said touching the side of her head indicating her mind.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be the death of my credit card.” Will shook his head. And Mac took a sarcastic second to pretend like she was calculating something by putting a few of her fingers up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah! Probably.” She finally agreed joking and ripping a laughter out of Will.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He caressed her smiley and happy face just before taking Mac inside the room. It was a beautiful saloon. The moonlight made it clearer to see each other inside it. It looked like the one the event was being held on, but it was more intimate, smaller and there were no tables taking up the space. It was just a big dance floor. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we doing here?” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Will put a hand up, “Don’t laugh.” He said. Mac took a second to think.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t promise. I’ll try, though.” Will shook his head for what seemed the 100th time that day. It was always like that when MacKenzie was around.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He was kind of nervous with what he had planned and he didn’t wanna look silly, but rather he was trying to impress her. He, then, took his iPod from a pocket and held it high for her to see it. MacKenzie opened a smile trying to hold back the mocking laughter stuck on her throat. She was confused, but adoring that he was all mysterious about it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She watched Will walked towards the stage. He climbed the stairs on the side and, for a minute, disappeared into backstage. When Mac took a few steps to that direction, curious to her bone, he came back. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on, Will?” She asked as he got off the stage and approached her, offering his hand.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Dance with me.” A melody playing on the entire saloon hit her ears. Mac smiled and took his hand. Will slowly spinned her around before putting her body on his and placing a hand on her back.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When your legs don't work like they used to before</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What song is this?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to it. I think you’ll like it.” She nodded still smiling.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I can't sweep you off of your feet</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Will your mouth still remember the taste of my lov</span>
  </em>
  <span>e</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.” Mac said, responding to the music as if it was Will singing to her. She stole a quick kiss from him, keeping a gigantic smile on her face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously!” She chuckled, pointing to her own smile. Will enlarged his own. She looked so happy that her eyes were almost closed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s optimistic!” He laughed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine did...” Mac whispered pressing her cheek on his shoulder. Even though she tried to measure her words and racionalize their relationship everytime, right that moment there was nothing that would stop her from saying how she actually felt to Will.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious way</span>
  </em>
  <span>s</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mysterious?” She made a funny expression out of a doubtful look.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe just the touch of a hand</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, stop, you love fighting me.” Will didn’t seem to understand the concept of a face without a smile anymore.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh me I fall in love with you every single day</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Billy...” There was no more sweeping off of feet, she was entirely swoon over him already. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I just wanna tell you I am</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So honey now</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>With a subtle move, Will put back a strand of her bangs that was covering part of her eyes. She didn’t know that, but, secretly, he loved how she could stay minutes with hair over her eyes without noticing it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take me into your loving arms</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac pressed herself harder against him responding to his touch.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Place your head on my beating heart</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Listening closely to the lyrics, Mac placed her hand on his chest and laid her head on his shoulder.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm thinking out loud</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe we found love right where we are</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a beautiful song, Billy.” She said finding his eyes again. Will didn’t reply, he just leaned in to kiss her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I wouldn’t let that happen.” Mac continued to answer the song.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And the crowds don't remember my name</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Now THAT’S impossible!” She mocked a serious tone and expression.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-you’d die!” She kept on faking seriousness.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know you will still love me the same</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“All the way, of course.” They were both laughing and caressing each other.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'Cause honey your soul can never grow old, it's evergreen</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, </span>
  <span>that’s</span>
  <span> true!” She agreed montioning with her index finger.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, stop it!” Her jokes were losing the effect of helping her cope with those numerous emotions.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe it's all part of a plan</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so.” If she were to tell herself the story of that moment later, not even she would believe it.  </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'll just keep on making the same mistakes</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hoping that you'll understand </span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope YOU can read into my mistakes!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But baby now</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I always will.” He said back reassuring her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take me into your loving arms</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Place your head on my beating heart</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm thinking out loud</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That maybe we found love right where we are, oh</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, now you’re taking the guitar from where?” She said getting away from his embrace when the guitar solo came up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t stop, do you?” Will’s heart was not beating crazy fast out of tension anymore. He pulled her closer, glad she was enjoying his surprise. He pressed his lips on hers, interrupting a funny response.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So baby now</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take me into your loving arms </span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac placed both of her hands on Will’s neck and his hands were keeping their bodies close together by her low back.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’ll kiss you anywhere you take me, Will McAvoy!” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh darling</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There was no spot he wasn’t kissing on her face and neck by then.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Place your head on my beating heart</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm thinking out loud</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That maybe we found love right where we are</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>By that point of the song, they were both whispering the lyrics to each other.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe we found love right where we are</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And we found love right where we are.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her again, taking a few seconds to let het go.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, Billy.” Mac said in a blink, still close to his face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, too, Mac.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Some tea spilled on her blouse and it made Mac wake up from her thoughts. She let go of the cup, putting it away. It was possible for her to see them kissing, having the time of their life. Her arms felt like they were being touched by him. She had goosebumps. The weight of his body embracing her, she could feel it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>If there was something she regretted was being that stupid and having responded to Brian’s idiot call. The pain of reminding every horrid mistake she made and how bad she hurt Will was cruel on her heart.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at the ceiling she could feel tears filling her eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>By that perfect winter night she had already blindly slept with Brian, she had already saw how ridiculous that decision was, she also had realized how much she loved Will and how he was the man she always wanted for herself. And exactly because of that, Mac thought she had to tell him. If their relationship were to be a real one, she had to be honest. And she was. She was just coward enough to not be honest for almost 18 months.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And still... Still, she loved him. There was no silent treatment that made her stop loving him. And there it was. One of those good days in which she would be boosted with the courage of facing him to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you. We have a beautiful baby boy together.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So she decided to decide. She was going back to ACN.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s just a big, hurt heart there. There’s nothing I don’t know and nothing that would break me.” Mac stated looking at her image on the bathroom mirror while trying to convince herself. “Let’s hope so.”</span>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Hello, Will</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, finally Mac and Will are reuniting. I didn't go far from the show on that end, and for that I'm sorry, so I kept a lot of the OG dialogues, because I do think Sorkin is a genius and my writing would never be a grain of sand next to his. </p><p>Anyway, I hope you enjoy my personal touches on their first face to face after 3 years!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Wakey wakey, mom.” Harry whispered while caressing MacKenzie’s hair. She opened her eyes to the little angel with blue eyes and full blonde hair admiring her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac’s routine was to look at a mini version of Will everyday. And miss him every time, too.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The kid kept his hand on her hair. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, baby.” Mac lift the sheet and invited Harry to join her in bed. He crawled close to her warm body and laid on his back, right beside her. “Did you sleep okay?” The boy nodded looking directly at his own hands, which he moved up in the air. “Grandma helped you out?” Harry was now two, but he hadn’t learn how to get out of the crib by himself yet. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” He nodded again while he entertained himself with his hands as imaginary spaceships, “Zummm!” He would imitate them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want some breakfast, sweetheart?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes,</span>
  <em>
    <span> brefast, </span>
  </em>
  <span>please.</span>
  <span>”</span>
  <span> (Breakfast) he said agreeing with her. Mac kissed the top of Harry’s head and gave her body a nice stretch before gathering the courage to get out of bed. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She put her hair in a lazy ponytail and headed out of the room to prepare some breakfast. Harry followed her to the kitchen just for them to find Rosie already frying some bacons to side the eggs and the pancakes she also made. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, mom!” Mac approached the cook, kissing the back of her head.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, honey.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for cooking, you know you didn’t have to. It’s Sunday.” She said helping Harry to his step stool and headin to the fridge to serve some OJ. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, stop. I promised Harry I would wake him up today.” The oldest stated looking at Mac, that half-closed her eyes looking at Harry.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Sunday, mom! You should be resting!” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Like the poor old lady that I am?” She teased serving the food for Harry and pouring some coffee for her and a very annoyed MacKenzie who clearly wasn’t in a mood to take jokes. “You know I like being here when Harry wakes up.” The tone was softer this time.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as he heard his name, Harry stared at his grandma unfocusing for a minute from the dreamy breakfast it was in front of him, “Isn’t it, my baby bear?” Rosie asked him, walking around the counter to smother her grandson with kisses.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosie McHale, I don’t want you living your life for us. You need to have some time for yourself!” Even though they lived so close, the majority of nights Rosie would sleep over for being late to walk back to her own apartment at night or if Mac needed some extra help with the little one. But, actually, it seemed like Rosie was 24/7 at Mac’s. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you eat something? It’s getting cold.” She masterfully ignored her daughter.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac shook her head, blinking a few times. Rosie approached her and put back part of her bangs that was covering her eyes. She sighed, not happy.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Calm down. What happened yesterday?” MacKenzie felt like hugging her. Was it a mom thing knowing exactly what to say every time? She needed to learn that trick.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Still being defensive, Mac was serving her food almost violently.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean this is not about eggs and bacons. Obviously.” The statement made her stop and take a deep breathe. She bit a bacon. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it? That obvious?” Now she was starting to remember that last night, at some point, she decided to go back to ACN. She stared at a picture taken 4 years ago. She spent hours thinking about her mistakes and her bad taste in men. Not Will, though. She also spent hours thinking about the happiness she felt with Will. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I did give birth to you, so.” She chuckled, sipping some coffee, “Would it have anything to do with that? Maybe?” Rosie pointed to a brown bag on the dinner table.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac frowned, “What is it?” The woman shrugged and shook her head, indicating for MacKenzie to go check it out.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I just went down to the lobby to get it. The doorman called in very early saying it was for you.” She took it to the counter.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t say from who it was from?” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Just that the person left a note.” Rosie shrugged and Mac nodded getting the content from inside the bag. It was a book. Don Quixote. She opened a weak smile that made Rosie even more curious. She raised both eyebrows, “Sooooo? The note?” Her hands motioned for Mac to act faster.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” She opened the book and there was the note on the very first page. “It says: ‘you don’t need this to be convinced, but I know it will help my case.’”. Mac knew Don Quixote way too well. It was a ‘change the world’ kind of situation for Charlie.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What case? Convinced of what? Who is it from?!” Rosie made a funnier expression at each new question.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlie.” Mac answered the last one kind of hazy.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlie? Why would Charlie send you a book? He saw you yesterday.” She kept on thinking theories on her head. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” While her daughter was still unfocused. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there any possibility you’re gonna help me create a dialogue here, honey?” The movement of her hands caught Mac’s attention.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” She took a breath and sat straight. “Charlie asked me to go back to ACN yesterday. As Will’s EP.” Her lips disappeared for she bit them both.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely no way!” Rosie seemed shocked but not in disapproval.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I thought he was kidding at the beginning. And I really tried to say no.” The younger said thinking back the conversation.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You said yes already?” Rosie put both hands at the chest.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No! I mean. No, but not exactly.” She poorly explained also moving her hands, her eyes closed. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What?!” Emphasis on the ‘poorly’.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean! I said no the first time. But at the end of the conversation, I didn’t say anything.” Worry filled MacKenzie’s face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so confused right now.” Rosie quickly rested her head on a hand and turned back to Mac, “Are you going back?” She asked incisively.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Five hours ago, I was going to, yes. Right this moment? I don’t think so, no.” They both paused trying to figure each other’s thoughts. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I love you. But now I understand the rage at my bacons and eggs.” Deep in her heart Mac wanted to bitch on her about that comment again, but she was more worried that the decision she made the night before would haunt her for days.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s all my fault.” Her head moved negatively. Rosie felt bad about the ice breaker attempt.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Mac, I was kidding. I’m sorry, I didn’t-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s not you, mum. It’s...” She sighed. Rosie leaned her back on the counter next to where Mac was sitting so she could still help Harry eat if needed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What does the book mean?” She asked, after a few seconds, in a calmer tone.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac averted her mom’s look, “Charlie asking for help to save the show and to... tame Will.” She carefully said.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Tame Will? Can you handle it?” Rosie knew everything, she was the one who Mac called and wrote to when she felt like crying or running to Will’s apartment to knock on his door. She knew how much her daughter suffered and blamed herself all those years.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think I can?” Mac timidly looked at her mom.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, there’s no doubt you can,” Rosie answered right away. She, then, paused for a second. “Don’t hit me. But you love him. And sometimes people just need love, in any shape or form to feel... safe again.” MacKenzie nodded. That made so much sense. Charlie saw it too.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?” In some ways, being able to show Will her love depended of him accepting it and being open to receive it. But it would be impossible to reach him out if he was stuck to the idea of ignoring and despising her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a hard one.” She began to answer calmly. “I’m your mother. So, I’m biased to say yes, because you are the most amazing, special, unique and brilliant human being I have ever met. But I don’t know. And I am saying this as your friend. Because it might hurt like hell.” Mac looked down agreeing with her head.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It hurts like hell everyday.” Rosie felt that like a knife on her heart. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to cease her daughter’s hurting. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, maybe, being near him again won’t as much.” Mac nodded and sighed inside Rosie’s tight hug.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>___</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After helping Harry clean himself, brush his teeth and change into some clothes, Mac sit on the living floor to play with her kid. She watched him and imagined, for the millionth time, how would Will deal with the fact that they had a child together. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The absence of courage wasn’t that she was afraid of all the chaos, yelling, fighting and arguing. Because, actually, she was never scared of anything, expcept jellyfish. Which is completely normal. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But there was a remote possibility that knowing about Harry would bring Will to her out of pity and the sense of doing the right thing. Which she didn’t want. Of course Harry having a father was on her plans, but not in obligation. She wanted it to be out of pure love. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom, mom, look!” Harry interrupted her thoughts. He was making cars do flips. She smiled and raised her eyebrows to him, showing some excitement.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Harry brought her so much joy that right that moment it didn’t matter how Will would react. He had all the love he needed right there.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She would have to be very firm, black and white. Whether Will liked it or not.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She reached for her phone and wrote a message to Charlie. From that moment on, nothing mattered but helping Charlie and loving Harry. Everything else would fall into place eventually.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I really hope you’re right. I’m in.’</span>
  </em>
  
  
</p><p>
  <span>______</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A few weeks later Mac had already resigned from Fox News and was ready to go back to ACN. She convinced Charlie to hire Jim as well, said she wouldn’t be in without him. She needed at least one ally out on the </span>
  <span>lions'</span>
  <span> cage besides Charlie and Jim was her chosen knight.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It took only a dinner on a Thursday for Mac to get Charlie on board with Jim being an associate producer of News Night. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, convincing Jim that he could change jobs like that, no interview, but just because she was MacKenzie McHale, took a bit more of her energy. But there was no journalist that would ever refuse an opportunity to work at the top 2 news program in the country when ratings were the subject. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They were having lunch together. Mac was barely touching a salad while Jim had stopped devouring his burger when she proposed him coming to ACN. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Mac, I want to go, but-“ </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no but, you moron!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But...” He emphasized, “Are you sure Will McAvoy can follow our ideas?” There was no doubt, for Jim, he was a </span>
  <span>well-dressed</span>
  <span> prick with an audience. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“One hundred percent.” Mac looked down deciding either to or what to tell about Will to Jim. “I know Will. I’ve worked with him before.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. So </span>
  <span>that’s</span>
  <span> who you produced before Fox?” He was completely surprised. Jim knew rumors about MacKenzie being an incredible EP and that she had a long and well-built career. But there it was, in front of him, she was the news.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah... I was the EP at News Night.” Mac shrugged putting some food in her mouth trying to change subjects. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But what happened? Why did you leave?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry happened. I couldn’t afford working that late with a baby at home.” A little white lie wouldn’t fragilize their friendship, besides, part of it was true. Mac wasn’t ready to let anyone know about her and Will just yet. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” It was Jim’s turn to fill his mouth with French fries to try and don’t speak about his decision.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Something great is about to happen </span>
  </em>
  <span>there</span>
  <em>
    <span>, and you're gonna want to be a part of it!”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” He nodded, avoiding her look.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So... you’re coming?” Mac insisted. Jim was silent and made her feel tense. Maybe that was a bad idea. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...” He said, changing to a thrilled expression.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re gonna be great, you’ll see!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie was counting down the days for Mac to come back to work. For one, because he had to be ready for a possible massive Will breakdown. Which would include the rest of his concerns: explaining there was no other way, reminding him how good she was, convincing him to calm down, “It’s not absurd, you two are a good team”, that she was the best EP in the business and so on. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Will had absolutely no idea what was coming for him. Especially since the so-called vertigo medicine episode he served 2 weeks before at Northwestern. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was April 10th when Mac walked into the bullpen for the first time after 3 years. She waltzed slowly into a very calm and almost empty newsroom. Charlie had called her in 2 weeks early to sign the contract before she could actually start working.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mac!” He approached her, walking into the room too.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Charlie!” They hugged like they were always used to. But when he let go, Mac noticed a different look on his face. “Charlie?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” He seemed distracted and startled. Mac widened her eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay? You’re white as paper.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess I’m suddenly thinking this through.” He whispered to her knowing that it would cause a very loud reaction.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT?!” MacKenzie, then, knew how crazy she was to have agreed to this. “You mean Will doesn’t know yet?” She was fully freaking out. Her heartbeats were insanely fast. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like that.” He faked smile. Outrage covered Mac’s face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Care to elaborate?” Her accent strongly hit Charlie’s ears. That was another sign she was mad.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I told him I hired a new EP. He didn’t even let me finish before running to his agent’s office.” Her crossed arms were now at the top of her head.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, my God. You think he’s gonna murder you or me first?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I think he’s going to be alright.” He seemed calm again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You trying to convince yourself, right?” Mac scowled.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sort of, yes.” An unease expression appeared on Charlie’s face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Great! Kill me now.” She put her hands on her face not knowing either to run, sit down or calm down.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Everything will fall into place.” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you follow him to try and stop it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Right now, I don’t think he’s going to listen to me. It would be useless.” He shrugged walking around.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a point.” Mac was trying to think and predict how the whole thing would go, but the was no scenario in which she wouldn’t have to argue with Will. “I’m just going to sit here and wait for him to come back so he can fire me himself.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I was the one who hired you, he can’t do that.” The expression on her face clearly upset as in ‘why didn’t you say this EARLIER?’.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this a thing around here?” Usually, Will needed things his way so he could function. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He can be bossy, but I’m still the boss, Mac.” Charlie finally said on his normal and calm tone. They both felt it was going to be hard, but not impossible. Will needed to be softened, but they would convince him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That makes me feel better.” Especially when she thought about Jim. He quit his job trusting that he had that one she promised him. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. ‘Cause we might hear some bullshit you and I.” He said sitting down next to her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah.” One of her hands help up her head. Mac was staring the floor trying to build some walls up to have the strength to sustain a whole conversation and eventual argument with Will. “Charlie.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I know we’ve talked about this. But not a peep about Harry.” She whispered, almost mouthing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You got it.” Charlie winked and held a thumb up securing her that that part of their life was going to be completely off the record until Mac decided to.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Will was going up on the elevator back to his office, Mac was already waiting for him. His victory smile was huge. Even though he had to sacrifice a million dollar a year and a few more items on his contract, he had approval of EP now. No matter what incompetent Charlie put him to deal with, he would fire their ass out. There was no way he would deal with anyone he didn’t quite like. It didn’t even matter if he had to fire people every week. Fuck the tabloids, fuck everyone. He </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span> News Night and no one could take that away from him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The first person he saw was Charlie. Will made sure to say it out loud with his arms wide open. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Charlie, you see? I got...” But he never expected to see MacKenzie McHale standing on his newsroom. “Approval.” A low whisper came out of his mouth. Will locked his eyes on hers. He didn’t know either to yell or to gulp his rage. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How could Charlie BETRAY ME LIKE THIS?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>He shut it down just in case. There was a strange feeling of nostalgia and bitterness on his chest. Not in a million years he’d expect her to be at ACN again, but NOT EVER he thought Charlie would pick MacKenzie of ALL people to be his Executive Producer again. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hi, Will. It’s good to see you.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> When he heard her voice all of his organs seemed like they were shifting. Will wanted to run away. He also wanted to slap someone. He also felt like laughing in disbelief. But Charlie interrupted his thoughts because he wouldn’t say a thing nor move.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Will-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Not from you. Let’s go in my office.” Will looked back to Mac. She nodded.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Mac shifted her eyes down when Will passed by her. Charlie touched her shoulder, checking if she would be alright. ‘It’s okay’ she mouthed. He nodded and let her go. She followed an annoyed Will into his office. “Will, I-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” He interrupted, getting behind his desk and leaning on it. That whole thing felt like a nightmare.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I was offered this job. I did not know you didn’t approve me.” Will grabbed a cigarette and the lighter. Mac was surprised he was now such a star he didn’t care about being seen smoking at work.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” He chuckled. “But couldn’t you assume?” Will was as flustered and angry as MacKenzie expected. That meant she could still take the reins on that conversation. She took a breath.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I really didn’t think you’d still hate me.” She stated crossing her arms.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, I’m unforgiving?” He ironically questioned finally letting go of the power of standing as he sat down on his chair. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“God! I think this could work!” Mac said expressively.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so very excited to hear why do you think that.” He took a drag of the cigarette staring defiantly at her. Mac returned the gaze.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re being sarcastic.” The conclusion made Will bend his cigarette hand and lift his eyebrows. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You think?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I really think you should listen to me, but if you wanna fire me: go ahead.” Mac shrugged pretending to give up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do that just now because there was a press release, but I managed to break down your 3-year contract.” She blinked twice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you mean?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, now </span>
  <em>
    <span>it's a 156-week contract that gives me the opportunity to fire you 155 times at the end of each week.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The tone of superb on his voice didn’t actually bother MacKenzie as she was still trusting her argumentative skills.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“How did you get my contract changed?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her face doubtfully looking at Will.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I gave the network back some money off my salary.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t even want to know how much.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“In this case, I’ll tell you anyway.</span>
  <em>
    <span> A million dollars a year.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Will talked like that was nothing compared to having the pleasure to tease and make MacKenzie mad. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I wonder which one of your girlfriends won’t get jewelry for Christmas from now on.” Slowly, he took another drag.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you certainly won’t.” Mac nodded pressing her lips. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nope. I am not. Ever again.</span>
  </em>
  <span> For a second, she remembered the night Will gave her a necklace which was now her favorite one.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m having a hard time processing that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>paid a million dollars to be able to fire me any time you want</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Her eyebrows were close together. Her stare was on fire.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“$3 million. And not any time I want, just the end of each week.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Will rectified her gallantly. Mac closed her eyes and shook her head trying not to walk away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He could be mean and she knew that. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“How the hell much money do you get paid?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You can guess as high as you want. It will still be more.” He deliberately lied showing off. In response, Mac took a big breath looking around.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I’ll take my brains somewhere else.” She shrugged smiling at him as if she had a million other opportunities to jump into.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I have brains.” But the fish caught the bait.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No! I mean, not mine! All you have right now is a sugar coated show that reports what the people want to hear so you can be a lovable anchor who doesn’t bother anyone.” MacKenzie was now ready to go. Her fuel was heated and anything Will said would be lacerated. “Yes, that was a reference to your speech at-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I got it.” Will seemed bored. He needed to keep his emotions at a level she wouldn’t read them. What he didn’t know, it’s that it was already too late.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. You’re listening.” She teased putting her purse on the chair, leaning on it while she charmingly threw her hair back her shoulder. Will paused. Partly remembering how attractive he found MacKenzie and partly annoyed by her unwanted presence.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’d make me even if I said I didn’t want to hear your motives. Which I did.” He put out the cigarette. Mac pretended to consider his comment.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. That simply doesn’t matter.” She said back, looking away. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard you back at Northwestern,” Making use of her courage, Mac took a chance. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>There's nothing that's more important in a democracy than a well-informed electorate. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We were a greater nation than we are now, but that’s because we spun out of control. What we need is people to be informed again. A real news broadcast! One to poke to bears and to show the ugly truth our country lives in!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“This isn't nonprofit theater. It's advertiser-supported television. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Need I remind you?” Will put a hesitant expression on.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I'd rather do a good show for 100 people than a bad one for a million, if that's what you're saying.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She was now walking around his office putting her thoughts into a clear and linear path so she could express them. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“With which money are you going to do that once the sponsors start dropping the show, Sherlock?” His gut was totally curious to hear where MacKenzie was going with that slow-built and peculiar speech. He leaned his head on a hand, elbow on the desk. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“We can take those 3 million you just gave up.” She pointed nowhere, teasing him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It wouldn’t even cover-“ Will sat straight again, getting mad at her quick and smart comebacks. “You know what? It doesn’t matter-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You bet your ass it doesn’t matter. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I've come here to take your IQ and your talent and put it to some patriotic fucking use.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Mac was almost behind Will’s desk with him. There was an intense and daring look coming from him. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You are completely oblivious to ratings and, for that matter, REALITY!” He started slow, but finished the sentence totally pestered. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, you can hate what I’m about to say as much as you want,” She paused and Will curiously leaned forward. “But I know you. I do. And you might have shut this down on your mind, but I have an expertise in producing you!” Her hands were moving a lot while she talked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Your expertise is in irritating me!” Mac took that intended attack as a fair compliment.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Not wrong. I can make this work!” Her hands expressed assertiveness combined with her confident tone of voice.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “We’re going to do a good news show and make it popular at the same time.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s impossible, Mac!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He yelled.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re wrong!” And so she yelled right back at him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, tell that to the social scientists that </span>
  <em>
    <span>concluded that the country is more polarized than at any time since the Civil War.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Will stated throwing some papers she could not care less about on the desk.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But we can work with polarized!” Mac’s shoulders went up raising objections.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, that’s a MacKenzie McHale fairytale.” She tried hard not to, but that was a spike on her heart. Mac knew Will was talking about lying. He was even more serious than before. “Like so many I have been told already.” His eyes looked down while he lit up another cigarette.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac thought about leaving. Maybe it was time to give up. She could find any other job, doing whatever. She inclined her head, nodding. She walked around the desk and she leaned forward on the chair to get her purse, but her mind stopped it. Mac inhaled as to say something. But her mind stopped that, too. Her hands went straight to her waist. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You know what you left out of your sermon?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Will didn’t seem interested. Still looking away from her, he raised the eyebrows. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That America is the only country on the planet that, since its birth, has said over and over and over that we can do better. It's part of our DNA. People will want the news if you give it to them with integrity. Not everybody, not even a lot of people, 5%. And 5% more of anything is what makes the difference in this country. So we can do better...”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Will sat there listening to her spill her guts and it vaguely made him remind of how fucking amazing it was to do great news. MacKenzie had that sparkle on her eyes when a child has a brilliant idea and is sure it has conquered the world. Will wanted to feel that again. And there was no one who could make him feel that tingle better than MacKenzie. It was insane. It was preposterous. But it was the truth.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Reclaiming the Fourth Estate, reclaiming journalism as an honorable profession, a nightly newscast that informs a debate worthy of a great nation, civility, respect, and a return to what's important, the death of bitchiness, the death of gossip and voyeurism, speaking truth to stupid, no demographic sweet spot, a place where we all come together. We're coming to a tipping point. I know you know that. There's gonna be a huge conversation. Is government an instrument of good or is it every man for himself? Is there something bigger we want to reach for or is self-interest our basic resting pulse? You and I have a chance to be among the few people who can frame that debate.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He kept internalizing every single word, comma and pause she pronounced. That moment gave him a glimpse of that tenacious, non-stop, flammable and brilliant MacKenzie he once met. And he hated himself for remembering how much he loved her back then.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Her proximity to his chair woke him up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“As I predicted. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That whole speech did nothing for me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Unexpectedly, Jim entered the room. An oil well had exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. It felt like milliseconds after when Charlie, Mac, Jim and Don were in his office. Everyone was aware of the situation. Jim had just revealed two strong and reliable sources. Don was fighting back on reporting the reason of the explosion and Halliburton’s negligence. Will knew he had to make a choice right that moment. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at MacKenzie. That sparkle on her eyes was still there. She nodded, almost like hearing his thoughts. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She always seemed to be able to do that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Will had to choose between hearing Mac or giving into his fears, once again. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He, then, looked at Charlie. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think of all this?” The man was on the very left corner of Will’s office. Everyone was tense staring at Charlie.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding me? That’s why I hired her! I think you should do it!” The hands on his pockets showed how trivial all that was for him. Charlie was having fun with Will’s Sophie’s Choice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Will and Mac locked their eyes at each other at the same time. That intense, encouraging, firm and challenging gaze. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After a few seconds, Will nodded. He figured it would be okay to skydive into the unfamiliar while trying to confront his fears as long as MacKenzie was there. He could be hallucinating about vertigo meds, faces in audiences, rating numbers, his weight and his disastrous love life; but there was no doubt Mac would be there to pull him back if he happened to fall. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Can you start two weeks early?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The question made everyone cheer. To the sound of that Jim went out of Will’s office to tell Neal they were going on air with their version of the story. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re letting her do the show?” Don was the only one who didn’t see a silver lining from that choice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you say you were leaving?” Will asked with total distaste.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I am, I just-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you can go, Don.” The man sighed irritated and left. Mac waited for him to leave so she could speak freely.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So, it’s great you listened to me.” Her arms crossed. She had a smile and a victory tone on her voice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get all hyped up. I didn’t buy any of the bullshit you just told me.” He didn’t make any moves but with his eyes, that looked up right at her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You plainly bought it a lot, and yes, I’ll start early.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>There was no absolute way she was going to let him win that.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I didn't buy it at all, and go.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Okay. But it's obvious now that you ate it up with a soup ladle.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her most charming and convinced self were on top now. She loved that song.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Just go.” HA! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She had won. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The next few minutes before the show was ready to broadcast, MacKenzie had that flow of gracefully-bossing-people-around running through her veins. There was just so much energy and sparkle about being in a newsroom she almost could forget the mess her life was that moment.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mac would look around with a phone on her ear, waiting for some pretentious business man to tell her something useful, and see a team. She hadn’t even been introduced to some of those people yet, but they were working to build the best show they could with her. And that feeling was over the top amazing. She suddenly felt excited to spend her nights at ACN again. And it didn’t matter how mad Will would be in every single one of them. She was ready to stay and fight for that great sensation. Mac would sign that contract, even at risk of being fired out of a rage episode. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She made her way to their control room and saw Will through the camera lens. MacKenzie stood there for a minute, observing his focused expression and his whole body lessening the tension as he was writing down points to his opening speech. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That was some serious deja vu. No bad, not exactly great - given the circumstances -, but overall good. Especially because he had thrown the rundown out and trusted her to make the right thing, a real and good show. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Will?” She called him after receiving her equipment. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, God.” Mac watched as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I forgot how it was having you talking into my ear.” Will vulnerably confessed scratching his forehead.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You missed my voice?” He couldn’t see it, but there was a soft smile brightening her face up. He could hear it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Not for a moment.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. Let’s set something straight, shall we?” Mac continued to observe him from the camera view.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m about to go live, MacKenzie, not right now!” As for him, he didn’t even bother to look up. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we still have...” She motioned to the Herb who she had just met 10 minutes ago and found out it was her director for News Night.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“90 seconds.” He answered promptly.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“90 seconds, we’re gonna be fine.” Even behind the scenes Mac was as expressive as ever. Part of her thought Will knew her enough to imagine her reactions to everything.  </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not making people hear me in there, right?” To that possibility, Will finally looked to the camera as if he was staring into MacKenzie’s eyes. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a fantastic idea! Now they can hear you.” She switched Will’s mic.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me off!” </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“First you need to agree to something.” Mac was leaning on the control board. </span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“MacKenzie, take me off!” Will was successfully ignored by everyone.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“So I did a terrible thing and I don't expect you to forgive me. You've got my contract, but the thing you have to know is that between 8:00 and 9:00, you are completely mine. For an hour, five times a week I own you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She said walking around and by the end of the sentence, she turned around to watch his reaction.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re insane.” Once more, he rolled his eyes and resumed on taking notes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Say you understand or I’ll start telling sordid details about you that probably no one else knows.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I get some quiet?” He was pretending to ignore her, too, but he had no idea Mac was serious about it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Like that time when you didn’t sleep for two nights in a row because you-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“MACKENZIE!” He desperately interrupted when he realized which story she was about to tell.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“All you have to say to make me stop is “I understand”.” She paused. Will was looking away because he knew Mac was staring directly at him. “No? Okay. Because you stood outside-“</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I UNDERSTAND!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Two in a row. She felt great at winning that night.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Good!</span>
  </em>
  
  <em>
    <span>You warmed up? You wanna screw around some more?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>A victorious smile was clear on her voice to Will.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I'm good!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mac finally switched him off.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ten seconds.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Herb said as a chronometer and Mac nodded, also getting ready.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“There's no script. There's nothing on the prompter.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Said Joey, the graphics producer he also had just met.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Nothing on the prompter is where this man eats.”</span>
  </em>
  
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to Sofi!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Roadtrip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is me again making a side note saying I'm sorry for using songs that hadn't been released by the time the story is actually happening..... </p>
<p>hope you guys enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next day, as soon as Will walked into AWM, Charlie went down to his office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m still mad at you, just for your information.” Will stated to the man, putting his things down at the desk and taking his jacket off.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not interested,” Charlie dismissed him moving his hand around. “But I came here to remember you that what we did last night was fucking great. That I am proud you took that risk. Also, this is a reminder that I am and always will be willing to defend you from upstairs or anyone from the outside.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will raised his eyebrows slowly, “You mean people called already?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s nothing for you to worry about. This is on me.” Charlie reassured, placing a hand on his chest.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You bet your ass it is!” The anchor pronounced, grabbing a cigarette, “Look, I see what you and MacKenzie are trying to do here</span>
  <span>, and an</span>
  <span> old part of me appreciates that.” He looked away taking a puff, “But there is a reality that you two are completely ignoring. I’m not sure she’s right for this, Charlie.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, I am going to tell you the same thing I told her,” There was a calm in Charlie’s voice that made Will look straight at him again. “She is the </span>
  <span>only</span>
  <span> right person for this. And you may have forgotten this, </span>
  <span>but </span>
  <span>as much as Mac killed with you as her anchor</span>
  <span>, need</span>
  <span> I remind you that you were at your best when she produced you?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took a second or two to make up an answer, “I don’t know that’s true.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am probably your oldest friend at this time-“</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. You’re 150, you hold the record.” Will used his cigar hand to point at Charlie.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go to hell.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Noted.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As your wisest and oldest friend,” He emphasized. “I have to tell you to stop being a prick. I love you, I would do anything for you. But there is no way up without her.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are well aware that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s indifferent to ratings, competition, corporate concerns, and, generally speaking, consequences</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is what we need right now. To tell everyone else to just fuck off and do the news. Because </span>
  <span>we</span>
  <span> decided to.” He had a galant smile on his face, completely incomprehensible to Will as for what.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charlie... Why did you choose her?” He asked speaking his mind, practically changing subjects.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because </span>
  <em>
    <span>I fucking loved what you said at Northwestern</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I caught a glimpse of the real Will McAvoy and I realized how much I missed that guy. I wanted to bring him back. And I know part you was only that guy because of her. So, yeah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s why I brought her here.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Will nodded. He somehow knew and understood that, he was just too stubborn to see it.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he realized, Charlie had already left the room and he went about his day. </span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a couple of days engaged on their usual war, Will was finally calming down on attacking Mac </span>
  <span>in </span>
  <span>every single opportunity he had. It was tiring being the bad guy the entire time.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, for MacKenzie, the truce didn’t last long enough for her to breathe properly.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jim worked on a story about political riots on universities that started in the UK and quickly came to the US. As a key guest from Cambridge, where everything started, MacKenzie happened to have an old friend that worked as a professor and was head of the philosophy department.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first problem was at the rundown, when Will found out that Professor James Young was brought as guest by MacKenzie.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She argued her friend in. There was no time for them to get anyone else involved, especially from the UK, “Why are you so upset? Was his number on speed dial?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Will. Exactly where your number used to be.” The comeback made Will shut up. He didn’t know either it was true and he was working hard trying to think it wasn’t.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were back at Will’s office </span>
  <span>since</span>
  <span> they both had a secret agenda not to tell anyone about their past. One thinking the other would spill their intimacy as fast as they could.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That isn’t... true.” Mac whispered breaking the tense silence her response created.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He scoffed.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She paused analyzing his each movement, “He was a colleague, Will! In college!”</span>
  
  <span>She loudly said.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, MacKenzie! Good! I believe you.” Will opened his arms in doubt. He felt as stupid as a door for being jealous.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac wasn’t the type to give up a fight, but Will seemed hurt, and that was the absolute last thing she wanted to do. So she left.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it was what happened on air that completely spun MacKenzie’s head out of control and made her go through with the arguing.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the Professor made a funny comment out of Will’s question, she knew it would all blow up. One of her hands immediately went to her forehead and everyone at the control room looked at each other.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac watched as Will scoffed, lifting his eyebrows and looking down. He was having a quick chat with his ego, because he was going to make a scene.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Professor, are you going to answer the question?” He started very politely.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I just did.” The guest slightly grinned.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will nodded, “Right. You’re the head of the philosophy department, correct?” Mac analyzed every breath he took.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And do you often discuss politics in </span>
  <span>your classes?</span>
  <span> Especially around what has been happening?” To an audience, the control on Will’s voice sounded pure.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I try to engage in healthy discussions, yes.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean by healthy?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I try not to let the students bring the aggressive tone they are using on the riots inside my classroom.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you don’t believe on the cause?” Will provoked.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I don’t think violence it’s the answer.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bingo.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, don’t go there.” MacKenzie’s voice hit his ears as he expected it would. He was going out of script.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But don’t you agree that some issues need a firmer hand, Professor?” He almost felt like relaxing on his chair, knowing the man would fall beautifully on his little devious trap.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. I’m just not sure breaking and entering, skipping classes and interrupting the entire campus is the answer.” The professor shrugged which brought Will’s surprised eyes down to his notes.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” He made sure to look right at where the guest was and said, “I’m sorry you think your students have too loud of a voice towards defending free speech.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell, Will?” Mac yelled into his ears. He felt good at disobeying her.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, I’m not saying they’re wrong!” The Englishman stuttered.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will created a way for his rebuttal softly, “It sure sounded like that.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But it was not!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, by promoting, what you call, healthy discussions bordering the central problem you think it should be enough for your students?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I also did not say that.” It was clear his discomfort.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, for a professor, it’s very difficult to understand your words, Mr. Young.” There was a pause. Will had just offended the man’s competence on live television. “Thank you for joining us. That was Professor James Young from Cambridge University. We’ll be back after this.” </span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the lights went dim from the commercial break Will looked right into the camera he knew MacKenzie would be watching him from and as coldly as he could, he said, “Didn’t you want a show? Here it is. Don’t come around here.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac stopped moving towards the door. Her whole body froze up to his tone of voice.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, her attention was at Charlie yelling at her direction, “Why the fuck did he just do that for?”</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I sincerely don’t have the slightest clue.” Her statement was as true as it sounded exhausted.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Control him!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am really, actually trying here, Charlie!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.” In no time, he was gone, leaving Mac a pile of nerves to produce the last bit of the show.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was quiet the entire </span>
  <span>block D</span>
  <span>, there was no need to interact with Will. And even if there was a reason, she was sure he would ignore her. So, she didn’t even try, not on air</span>
  <span>. She</span>
  <span> waited until he put his audience to sleep and barged into the studio.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell was that, Will?” She sounded as mad as she was at the moment it happened.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will got up from his chair, “What?” He shrugged already walking out </span>
  <span>of </span>
  <span>the studio.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re not getting away from me with this!” Mac followed him.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re aware that </span>
  <span>I</span>
  <span> am your boss, right?” They were making their way to his office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you gonna fire me?” She defied him, closing the door behind her. “Yeah, just as I thought, no. Now, you listen to me. You cannot treat any guest the way you did. And I know you just did all that spectacle because I was the one who brought </span>
  <span>the guy</span>
  <span> in and because he was a very dear and longtime friend of mine. Do you think I’m stupid?” Mac had her arms crossed.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will was already sitting down, lit cigarette in hands, “Do you think I need to be taught anything about how to conduct an interview?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sincerely? Right now, yeah. I mean not even people in journalism school would do such a mess out of that.” She pointed to the studio’s direction, “And what’s worse, you did it out of anger and some stupid sense of revenge.” Her eyes burned his. Will looked away, getting his things together.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I’m tired, I don’t need a lecture from you right now.” He took a puff, avoiding the whole thing.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will,” Mac moved her head in order to get his attention. She got him to look her in the eye again. “Do you realize I was </span>
  <span>offered</span>
  <span> this job? To help you. To help the show. I did not knock on your door and asked to be here.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you came anyway, didn’t you?” They both paused, gazing at each other.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>MacKenzie shrugged, disappointed, “Guess I was wrong.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess you were.” She nodded trying to measure her words. Her eyes went up and down his tall and stubborn figure.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By the time you get to work tomorrow I want to know either you want to make this show a good one again, or if you’ll just keep on flirting with the audience and hiding behind a prompter. And depending on what you decide, I might be here to work with the real Will McAvoy or I’ll be looking for another job.” Will didn’t quite like the threat. It was irritating the way she masterfully took control of the situation. “I really hope I’ll see you tomorrow.” He watched as she left, opening and closing the door with rage.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will exhaled and put the cigarette out, knowing she had a point and he wouldn’t and couldn’t let her go just yet.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like he was a 6 year old with the need of supervision, Charlie quickly marched into his office, right after MacKenzie walked away.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, I was planning to scream at you, but I don’t think I have the health to keep on doing that. You’re a grown up, for fuck’s sake!” He really seemed out of his usual calm aura.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charlie, I really am not in the mood for another lecture.” Will kept on getting his things together so he could leave and be alone at the peace of his apartament.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, good, she yelled at you already?” He pointed to the door.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not even bothering to look up, he answered, “As if I had stepped on a toe.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then, half of my job is done. And since you probably won’t ask about the rest of it, here’s the thing: are you an idiot?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Most people would say yes.” Charlie was getting annoyed by his absence of proper reaction.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you considered how she’s feeling?” That made Will look back at him. “How’s her life right now? Have you ASKED her how she’s been?”</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will sighed, and that was probably a sing that he was going to stall, “The truth is I don’t care, Charlie.” He said as he put his leather jacket on.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just spectacular how you don’t care for your own team.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no. I don’t care for her. It’s different.” His pauses were calculated.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s different because you’re scared, right?” But nothing impressed Charlie since he knew Will like the back of his hand.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean you’re scared of letting MacKenzie in again.” The older</span>
  <span> one</span>
  <span> shrugged.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I am! She broke my heart!” His response felt painful.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean as an EP!” Will got silent, noticing he had been treating her unprofessionally the whole time. “I don’t care</span>
  
  <span>how you feel about her, Will. I need you to make this work. MacKenzie is the best Executive Producer this town has ever seen. You’re the best anchor of New York. You two make the greatest news team I have ever seen. So, by all means, hate her, but let her produce you!” He still had no idea on how to react.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Noticing</span>
  
  <span>hi</span>
  <span>s</span>
  
  <span>lack</span>
  <span> of response, </span>
  <span>Charlie nodded, knowing his message was received. He, then, left</span>
  <span>, l</span>
  <span>eaving Will with this thoughts.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Already</span>
  <span> by </span>
  <span>himself</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>Will</span>
  <span> shook his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Charlie was right and he shouldn’t let the old MacKenzie in front of their work. He was just incredibly mad that the conversation with Charlie had happened on the same day she gave him a decision to make. Which meant he wouldn’t be able to joke about it to make her mad.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needed to commit and that made him uneasy. It wouldn’t be a gracious process, especially because it meant relying on her.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>———</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>They never spoke of it again. Only through an exchange of looks</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>Mac understood Will was somehow in. Not the whole 100%, </span>
  <span>but</span>
  
  <span>maybe 97%, and for her that was good enough.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>MacKenzie didn’t know it was</span>
  
  <span>either</span>
  <span> her first speech, or the second one the day before. Or even if it was the feeling of losing their powerful connection again. Still, it could have been Charlie to convince him. Probably. But whatever it was, it worked.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the end of her first week, Mac was feeling exhausted from her new routine. She remembered working nights, but add taking care of a 2 year old and everything went nuts.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will was sitting </span>
  <span>a</span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span> his office </span>
  <span>i</span>
  <span>n</span>
  <span> her company. They were discussing a few points for the next day’s broadcast and Mac was writing a lot of things down. He was quietly observing her, watching her hand support her head and the calm blink of her eyes.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure why he had stayed for so long. Deep down, he actually ignored the reason. MacKenzie didn’t ask for any help, but some unacknowledged part of Will felt like he needed to make her company while she organized the </span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span>how</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Missed fake night shifts that</span>
  
  <span>actually </span>
  <span>last</span>
  <span> the </span>
  <span>entire</span>
  
  <span>day</span>
  <span>?” He asked looking away and getting Mac’s attention.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not for a second. I really had forgotten how it was to spend the night producing something.” She stretched quietly.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Regrets?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looking for a reason to fire me?” She lift her eyebrows.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will </span>
  <span>shrugged</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>making</span>
  <span> a face, </span>
  <span>“It </span>
  <span>is</span>
  <span> the end of the week...” Mac sighed completely disappointed. It was stupid of her to think that maybe she wouldn’t have to go through that every week. She should’ve known better coming from </span>
  <span>na </span>
  <span>upset, hurt and annoyed Will.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go ahead.” She defied him. Will locked his eyes into hers, pausing.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, not today.” He</span>
  
  <span>said</span>
  <span> dismissing her gaze, “I’ll save it for a week that you make nearly impossible to co-exist on the same environment as you.” He focused his eyes into the paper on his hands.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then </span>
  <span>you’re</span>
  <span> fired.” Mac claimed</span>
  <span> on a </span>
  <span>chaotic</span>
  <span> tone</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will opened his arms in doubt, “That’s not how this works.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, Mac sat straight.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t get to be annoyed by me.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, how so, your excellency?” Mac was getting her things together feeling the urge of a fight.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your excellency doesn’t even make sense here.” He strangely adored her chaotic line of thinking.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think I </span>
  <span>was</span>
  
  <span>looking for it to make any sense? Clearly </span>
  <span>no</span>
  <span>, since you’re driving me crazy.” He also adored her snappy comebacks. She was a quick thinker. The job demanded it and the years made her great at it.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I feel so bad right now.” His ironic, yet flat toned comment made her eyes straiten.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, sarcasm isn’t your strong suit.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And yet you seem to enjoy it.” She </span>
  <span>p</span>
  <span>ressed</span>
  <span> her lips trying to hide a weak smile in response to his non-threatening comment. He actually sounded nice, charming.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>A silence filled the room for a few minutes. Mac felt that easy going sensation that it was to be connected with Will, to talk to him, just be themselves.</span>
  
  <span>And like no time at all </span>
  <span>had</span>
  
  <span>passed</span>
  <span>, her heart </span>
  <span>started</span>
  <span> racing</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
  <span>Her mind kept on telling her intuition to shut up, but her heart was screaming ‘TELL HIM, IT IS NOW THE TIME’.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen, Will... I’ve been meaning to talk to you about</span>
  <span>-</span>
  <span>”</span>
  <span> She was interrupted by the ring of his cell.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I have to take this.” She nodded and he soon left the office for a second to have some privacy.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the conversation finished, Will turned t</span>
  <span>o the </span>
  <span>room</span>
  
  <span>just to find it empty. He caught a glimpse of Mac walking back to her own office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mac?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t expecting it, but at the sound of his voice, something inside </span>
  <span>h</span>
  <span>er</span>
  <span> made her turn back right away.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What was it that you wanted to talk about?” Will gulped, already mad</span>
  <span> that</span>
  <span> he had reached out and not simply let her go.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was still so much in denial about </span>
  <span>MacKenzie’s</span>
  
  <span>lying</span>
  
  <span>that</span>
  <span> he did not want to have that or any other intimate conversation with her.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The seriousness in Will’s eyes made Mac take a shot of courage, “Will, I...” She stepped closer to him in a slow walk. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Bleeding heart on her hand, a thousand bad scenarios going through her mind</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>Mac backed down.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she didn’t move.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MacKenzie, what is it?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing. Good night, Will.” Not leaving any time for him to respond, Mac was out of Will’s sight in seconds.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked down, sighed, and marched back to his office. And like his bed and his apartment, the office was now empty. No MacKenzie, no conversation. Will didn’t quite know if that feeling on his chest was relief or regret for ever leaving the room.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As for MacKenzie, after kissing Harry’s forehead goodnight as he slept like an angel, she had dinner: a whole bottle of wine. No, nothing else. Just regret for backing down and a headache on the next morning.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>During live broadcast, on the very next night, Maggie came running to the control room and approached MacKenzie with shortness of breath.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong, Maggie?” The EP put a very preoccupied face on.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The name of the african doctor Will said. He pronounced it wrong. The internet blew up. It says he it ended up saying something else and it offended the guy.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ended up saying what?” The tension of Mac’s face didn’t help Maggie’s thinking.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I, ahm...”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MAGGIE!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Somehow Will’s pronunciation translated to ‘hated son of God’.” She finally said, awkwardly.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the actual HELL?” The whole control room was now tense. “Do we have a moment?” Mac turned to Herb.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“30 to 40 seconds in 2 minutes ‘cause of the correspondent in Boston.” He answered promptly.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maggie, you have 2 minutes to get me the right pronunciation. Call the Embassy if you have to!” Mac felt like barking the order, but she asked incisively instead. There was no reason for freaking out anywhere else but inside her mind.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright!” The girl left as quickly as she got in.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>What seemed a very calm and pleasant night suddenly became a stressful one. Mac hated screwing up, especially on air. And she knew Will wouldn’t be happy having to correct something.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She started moving her hands around too much and bit the inside of her cheeks when Maggie came back, like a hurricane.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here!” MacKenzie grabbed the note, but it was useless, she couldn’t read it without her glasses.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure about how to say it?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I’ll talk to him and you say the name.” The blond one nodded.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Herb gave Mac a signal, “Will, we have to correct something. You mispronounced the name of the doctor at the beginning of block D. Maggie will tell you the right </span>
  <span>pronunciation</span>
  <span>. Nod if you heard me.” He did as she said and Mac gave Maggie a signal. She watched as Will wrote it down to get it right. “Tap the pen twice if you </span>
  <span>need her to repeat it.” Mac asked and Will quietly shook his head as the camera was at him again.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the block was a blur to Mac. Her legs felt like Jell-O. It was the first time she let a mistake happen on air after being back to ACN. She </span>
  <span>wanted</span>
  <span> to</span>
  <span> forg</span>
  <span>e</span>
  <span>t how it would go outside the control room.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Will corrected the name and said it perfectly, it felt like everyone exhaled in unison. But Mac knew it was only the beginning for her, there was still the amount of shit she was going to hear from Will just because.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She thanked everyone, congratulated for the good show and walked back to the bullpen. When Maggie saw her, she jumped out of the chair and got to her.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mac, I’m sorry, I should have checked with him if he knew how to say it.” The girl said too many words in so little time, she was clearly freaking out.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac stopped walking to look at her</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>“It’s fine, Maggie. You helped correct it. It’s fine.” She saw as Maggie’s shoulders relaxed a bit by her calm tone.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he is going to yell at somebody, I just don’t want anyone else to be yelled at.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not gonna yell at you guys.” Mac frowned. They actually feared Will that much. “I won’t let it. If he decides to argue with someone, I’ll make sure it is me, okay? Go on.” She motioned calming the girl down. Maggie nodded.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What THE HELL HAPPENED?” MacKenzie closed her eyes when she heard him scream.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you mind?” She asked serious, pointing to his office.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do very much. But I need a smoke, so, let’s go.” He barked</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>marching to the room. Mac got in behind him and closed the door. “Why did we correct it?” He </span>
  <span>f</span>
  <span>ired</span>
  <span>,</span>
  <span> taking the blazer off.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you pronounced it wrong.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No... No. It’s not it. What happened?” By that question he had already lit the cigarette and was leaning on the desk.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I tell you, you’re going to be all worked up on something unimportant.” She moved a hand mocking his little act.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it unimportant to YOU or is it like a general thing?” His sarcastic tone put a doubtful look on her face.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean you’re inconsequent!” And there </span>
  <span>it </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span>: attacks!</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just don’t care too much about the things I can’t control!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you can’t control the </span>
  <span>P</span>
  <span>resident and you’re still worrying about his choices.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, my God! You’re so hypocritical!” Will could easily make MacKenzie lose her mind over absolutely nothing.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the one avoiding my questions!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are discussing?” She tried to remember pinching the bridge of her nose, “I can’t even remember with your yelling.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you won’t tell me what the fuck went wrong in there today.” He was now sitting down, but seemed as tall as ever.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you REALLY must know, the internet went crazy because your mispronunciation meant ‘hated son of God’. As if you had an agenda to offend the man.” Her disgusted look showed how much she hated the internet for causing that fight.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Jesus!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you happy? Did it cure any of your anger wounds?” Mac shook her head in disapproval and began to make her way out of the office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MacKenzie!” She turned back with a very annoyed semblant. “Is it all over the place?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if to answer that question, Neal popped up at the door by Mac’s side. His face wearing nothing but concern.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you here to fill him in?” Her tone indicated complete dissatisfaction. Neal didn’t say anything, but just changed looks between his EP and Will.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let the boy in!” Will determined making Mac roll her eyes.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am going to tell you this once,” She said coming back in, getting closer to his desk and imposing the fact she was taller than him for standing. “This makes you obsess over an image you </span>
  <span>can’t</span>
  <span> have. Over a personality you </span>
  <span>don’t</span>
  <span> have! I’m here to remember you that people </span>
  <span>like</span>
  <span> Will McAvoy as firm and as righteous as he is. I’d hate for you to go nuts over something you cannot transform yourself into.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a general pause. Will had his eyes locked into hers. Neal held his breathe watching as the fire grew between them. Will, then, shook his head. He knew she was right - and because of that, he didn’t give her a rude comeback - but part of him couldn’t let go.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, who’s being hypocritical?” Mac clicked her tongue in disbelief and left.</span>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>____</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>As quickly as they got into a fight, it was the time that they took to passively-aggresive make up. They never revisited the arguments, once one of them walked away, it was done, dead and forgotten. Deep, deep down, they had fun doing all that.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was already Mac’s third month when Will started dating every single woman he could lay his eyes on. MacKenzie didn’t know about that just yet, even though she did see 3 different girls in 3 different nights in a row on the very same week waiting for Will at the bullpen after broadcast.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It killed her, but she knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do about that. Until the glorious day she walked on him reading the gossip column on a newspaper</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>He had the page where, that morning, they printed the list of the most eligible bachelorettes in town - which she knew by heart, since she read every major newspaper daily.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What have you become? Some pimp or... something?” Will didn’t answer, instead he raised his eyebrows and put the paper down. “What’s another word for pimp?” She continued on provoking him.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Being single?” As senseless as he was, the comment left his mouth. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Being a prick?” She put a smile on while shrugging. Yes, that was definitely for fun.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Being famous?” Will, as always, deliberately took her bait. He was coming to terms with the fact that arguing with her was absolutely incredible. She was smarter than ever, brilliant, funny and looked hot while doing it, so, what bad could come from it?</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Narcissistic?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rich!” He said like he won, making Mac rolls her eyes. “I could do this all day.” His wrists laying on the desk with the hands on the air.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took the defeat and moved towards the door, “Rundown in ten minutes.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you be there?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac frowned with silliest question ever, “That’s the whole point, Will.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I’m not in the mood of being there today.” She, then remembered his unique ability to spoil her and take it away so fast there was no time for a deep breath.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you kidding me?” The question was more of a test to check if the grounds were still clear or if they were mined already. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No...” Mined it was. “But could you order a sandwich for me, though?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Absolute indignation filled her face, “Oh, fuck you.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Will watched her leave and grabbed the newspaper again</span>
  <span> not </span>
  <span>sure</span>
  
  <span>why</span>
  <span> he </span>
  <span>was</span>
  
  <span>searching</span>
  <span> for </span>
  <span>women</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>There</span>
  
  <span>was</span>
  <span> the one and he </span>
  <span>kept</span>
  <span> on </span>
  <span>looking</span>
  
  <span>somewhere</span>
  <span> else.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Waiting for her outside Will’s office was Jim, that immediately put himself in front of her. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mac, something happened.” He had the painful-looking face for when he was nervous.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>MacKe</span>
  <span>nz</span>
  <span>ie stopped walking measuring if she should believe his nervousness or not, “What is it?” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The informant on the Penn State governor just called. She said there were some major implications on her job and that she’ll only talk to Will.” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Mac frowned, getting agitated, “No, no... How are we landing this?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have absolutely no idea.” He answered raising his eyebrows. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will won’t leave New York for information.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it’s pretty valuable information.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even so. Don’t you know him by now? He doesn’t leave his </span>
  <span>house</span>
  <span> for just anyone.” Her hands moved around in fake agony.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do we do, then?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We convince her otherwise.” She said resuming the walk back to her office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He followed, “Mac, she doesn’t answer my calls. She’s the one who make</span>
  <span>s </span>
  <span>the calls. She always keeps </span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span>hem</span>
  <span> under 2 minutes, which will make it impossible to even trace her.” Jim got inside the room after Mac but didn’t closed the door behind him. “And I think sending someone to Philadelphia, without her knowledge just to find out who she is, it’s going to make we lose her trust and she’ll go someplace else with the information.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have a point.” Mac said already sitting down. “Alright. I’ll talk to Charlie, maybe I’ll go instead. Woman to woman... Maybe could work.” The senior producer nodded and left in a split second.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take 5 whole sentences for Charlie to tell Mac he would convince Will to go and talk to the informant, “It will do him good </span>
  <span>to </span>
  <span>go someplace else than his apartment and this building.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>MacKenzie didn’t argue back. Besides, Philadelphia was only 1 hour and 40 minutes away. He would be back in no time.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, let’s tell the man, then.” Said Charlie, already heading towards Will’s office. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rundown had just happened and Will was changing to go live in less than 15 minutes.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right now?!” Mac picked up his pace, worried that the little trip would ruin Will’s night.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No better time.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure? The broadcast is abou</span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span> to begin.” She said uselessly. They were already at Will’s office.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Charlie had a smile on his face, “So, field assignment for the senior staff? That’s new.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will pretended not be interested, “What do you mean?” He turned around to see Mac with her arms crossed not wearing a very comforting expression and Charlie with a funny one. They were up to something. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, remember that informant on the governor of Pennsylvania I told you about?” She did the talking while</span>
  
  <span>t</span>
  <span>aking</span>
  <span> a step closer.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, seems like the gal wants to meet the famous guy.” Then Charlie attacked, making Will raise his eyebrows slowly, Will-style. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What now?” There was a pause and the two men looked at Mac, who made her lips almost disappear in tension. “Mac?” Will insisted. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The informant said she’ll only talk to you.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why in the whole wide world would she say that?” His hands were fidgeting while he tried to tie his tie.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not sure. All she said was that some implications on her job came up. She wants to make sure she’s heard, I guess.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And that’s my problem how?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unless you don’t care about losing the story, it really is not your problem.” Mac explained shifting her weight.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great. Ditch it, then.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely not.” Charlie interrupted.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell, Charlie?” He backfired, trying to finish the knot.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen, pal,” Charlie seriously looked him in the eyes, “This is something we want!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It might as well be gossip, you know?” But Will pretended to be a minor inconvenience, again.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if it’s his chief of staff? What if he’s running for the White House? What if there are e-mails?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will disregard the comment, “Still. Gossip.” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, it’s not gossip if it’s real politics.” Mac finally said. He exhaled loudly and over dramatically.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Charlie pointed at Mac and whispered, “She’s right.” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know she’s right.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and grabbed the notes he needed for the broadcast. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The comment lit Mac’s face up, “That means you’re going?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll leave tomorrow at 10am.” </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you both leave tomorrow at 10am.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?!” In unison, Mac and Will shouted at Charlie.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You heard me. I’ll not let Will go by himself and screw this up for us. You’ll do the talking, Mac.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Jim was the one taking care of this story-“</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure Jim would be of better use here tomorrow afternoon.” His words were serious, but his face showed pure delight by the situation, “He’ll draft the story while you two are grabbing the information.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This keeps getting trickier.” Will close</span>
  <span>d </span>
  <span>his eyes, shaking his head. “Please, be ready at 9:30 as if that </span>
  <span>w</span>
  <span>as</span>
  <span> the time we are leaving.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She frowned, “Oh, shush. I got better at being on time.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He chuckled. “I bet our lunch tomorrow that you’ll be late.” The man determined and left in a quick pace towards the studio.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you believe him?” Mac retorically asked Charlie before following Will and getting into the control room.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She put her </span>
  <span>equipment</span>
  
  <span>and watched as Will sit on his anchor chair.  </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were going to Philadelphia. Together. Sharing a car for almost 2 hours. An unplanned roadtrip. Mac was going to make Will company in a trip to another state. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wow. What the hell is this day...? </span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>_______</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>At 10 </span>
  <span>Will was already at their meeting point, which MacKenzie insisted to be ACN because she forgot an important folder with the main research for the interview.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Constantly checking his watch, Will was getting impatient. At 10:08 he texted Mac. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>W: ‘I thought we were leaving at 10.’</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>M: ‘I hate this, but I’m late.’</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>W: ‘Well, I love it because you’re paying for lunch.’</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>M: ‘Yeah, yeah. Going up already.’</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning. Coffee?” Will offered as he watched MacKenzie quickly walk to her office with a Louis Vuitton travel bag hanging on her shoulder. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You got me coffee?” She turned to him, walking backwards with a suspicious face, “What do you want?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want anything, MacKenzie. I just knew you were going to be late and not have the time to grab a cup of coffee on your way.” Folder in hands, she stopped right in front of Will.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of her hands went to her chest and she smiled a bit ironically, “That’s actually both insulting and nice.” Mac said grabbing the coffee.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just like you.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just like you!” She said back, nicely. Will smiled, shaking his head and heading towards the elevator with Mac by his side.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ride down was silent, Will was checking the morning news on his blackberry while Mac kept on side looking him, imagining Will ordering two coffees and one of them the exact way she liked. Black, splash of vanilla and</span>
  <span> a </span>
  <span>dash</span>
  <span> of</span>
  <span> cinnamon.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want me to drive?” Mac teased him as soon as they got a vision of his car.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you insane?” His reaction was ever more dramatic than she expected, which made her laugh.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” She said hiding her smile, “I improved as a driver throughout the years, okay?” Mac was already holding the handle of the back door when Will unlocked the car.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stopped just before getting in, “I will only believe if you get your driver’s license again, with me on the backseat.” Mac opened another smile as she closed the door after putting her bag on the backseat. With Will already inside the car, she opened the passenger door and leaned in</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>getting his attention.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t pass.” She whispered and Will chuckled at her.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I knew it. I’m glad I didn’t agree.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will started the car and they got out of the building. Mac was concentrated, looking down at the reasearch Jim had conducted on the informant. But as soon as they noticed the song playing very low on the radio, their eyes connected by instinct. Adele’s voice in ‘Water Under the Bridge’ hit that specific part that goes...</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Have I ever asked for much?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The only thing that I want is your love</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the speed of light, Will pressed a button to change stations on the radio. They were still exchanging silent and awkward looks, knowing that the lyrics could easily apply to them.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When their thoughts calmed down and they noticed there was music playing again, Sam Smith’s ‘Too Good at Goodbyes’ was on.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm never gonna let you close to me</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Even though you mean the most to me</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Cause every time I open up, it hurts</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac</span>
  <span>K</span>
  <span>enzie stared at him, shamelessly, “What is this? Some kind of breakup songs playlist you listen to even after 4 years?” Noticing the song, Will changed stations again. Annoyed to the top.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You clearly seeing this is not a playlist, right? I’m just changing stations.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no, I’m not seeing anything. I’m literally just paying attention to my notes.” Mac opened her folder and looked back down, teasing the last angry brain cell Will had.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coincidentally, for the third time in a row, a song about breakup was playing on the radio. This time it was ‘Since U Been Gone’ by Kelly Clarkson.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac chuckled softly in response to Will’s annoyed sigh. She could see he had given up and was pretending not to listen to the lyrics. Mac, on the other hand, was enjoying it. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Since you been gone</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I can breathe for the first time</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m so moving on, yeah, yeah</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is not my playlist, but you see, she’s right. She’s absolutely right. Since you been gone, it has been great.” Will’s comment made Mac stop her shy, little dance and think about his words again. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is really what it feels like without me? Like you can breathe again?” He didn’t notice, but Mac was serious and upset.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Mac, that’s how it feels.” The worse thing was that he didn’t mean it, but she had given him such a difficult week overall, he just felt like retributing it. But Mac was suddenly silent.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop the car.” She said finally, which made Will alter his attention between the road and her profile. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? What are you talking about?” Will at last saw her unsettled expression.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will, pull over. I need to get out.” Her tone was firm and eloquent as ever, but there was something sadder on it that Will couldn’t quite identify. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you insane?” That time he actually meant the question.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m as sane as I can get!” Mac exploded, she wad distressed to be sitting on the car, but Will didn’t stop, nor changed lanes to the right so he could pull over. “Will! Stop the car, I’m gonna get out!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“MacKenzie, I’m not going to leave you on the street by yourself!” He tried to reason with her, </span>
  <span>v</span>
  <span>ainly</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned to him, “If you don’t pull over I’m getting out in the middle of the street on the next red light!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you won’t!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try me, McAvoy!” She put her hand on the handle, challenging Will.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, I’m pulling over!” He, then, pulled over and immediately Mac got out of the car, taking her bag from the backseat. Will got out as well and walked towards her. “What are you doing?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stepping away, so your majesty can breathe again.” Her angry tone and the half bowing almost made Will laugh.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, c’mon, that was just a joke.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was it though?” Mac frowned, her arms crossed, “Because since I came back, everything you do is criticize me.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it’s fun, what can I say?” In response, she hit him on the arm, “OUCH! That hurt!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care!” It was hard for Will to maintain a serious face. There </span>
  <span>it </span>
  <span>was an angry MacKenzie, having absolutely no idea what to do besides getting mad. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, stop this nonsense, get in the car.” He said pointing to the car and trying to get her attention.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m getting a cab, Will. You can go.” Mac didn’t even bother to look at him.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To fucking Philadelphia? No way. Get in the car!” Will reached her Louis Vuitton and grabbed it. She quickly tried to take it back.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you care? Suddenly you’re worried about me?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure I am worried about you! I don’t like the idea of you being alone in the middle of the street trying to get a cab to Philadelphia.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Will, anything for you to breathe again.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For the last time, it was a joke.” He said putting his hands together as if he was praying.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not getting back in the car, there’s nothing you can say that will make me spend almost two hours stuck with you inside a car. No way. Especially after you just directly told me how better your life has been since I </span>
  <span>was</span>
  
  <span>gone. Do you really think I don’t have feelings? I mean, you must think I don’t just because I cheated on you, even though I already told you that being with Brian was the moment I realized I wanted to be with you and just you. Also, there’s no way I’m gonna be able to silently look at your face for the next two hours, I’ll just keep on shouting words until they make any sense to me because... because- I’m...”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lost the thread, didn’t you?” Will was patiently waiting for the moment she would stop shouting for losing the track of her own thoughts. It always worked. He just couldn’t interrupt her, nor reply.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“YEAH. I know.” Mac finally seemed to calm down.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she shyly looked at him, Will said softly, “You can ride on the backseat.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” He disarmed her, being so calm with her shouting random words.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you don’t want to look at me, you can just seat on the back and sleep, look out the window. Whatever. I don’t care. Just GET IN THE CAR!” By that point he had already put her bag on </span>
  <span>the </span>
  <span>backseat again. Mac was frowning and looking at him, still waiting for him to react. He didn’t. Instead, he opened the front door for her. Her eyes suspiciously went up and down on him twice. Then, she doubtfully and slowly walked towards him and got in the car again.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the next half hour Mac was silent</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>thinking back to when they only had fun together. While Will was thinking of the comment she made about realizing she just wanted to be with him. Only him.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thoughts took them both back to the same memorable night they spent together.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>New Year’s Eve party 2006.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a very cold night at the outdoor part of the Rooftop Mac and Will were spending News Year’s. The whole team for News Night was also there, a gift from AWM.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mac was wearing an off-white Elie Saab dress that gave her a full Greek-goddess vibe. Her hair was half-up and some strands flawlessly fell on the sides of her face.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will, on the other hand, was in a full black tux. Together, arms locked, they looked invincible. Like a Hollywood couple on a red carpet. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the very beginning of the party, the host proposed everyone to write down a list with the top 3 things they wished for the future and </span>
  <span>to </span>
  <span>keep it to themselves until midnight. Only then, if </span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span>hey </span>
  <span>wanted</span>
  <span>, they could reveal to their loved ones.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>While making his list, Will tried and peak what MacKenzie was writing down, but she was fully compromised with the host’s instructions</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>“I’m not showing you and risk jinx my wishes!”. Will shook his head and put away his list on an inside pocket. Mac lift her eyebrows smiling and put hers inside the purse she had brought.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just before dinner was served, midnight stroke. There were fireworks, loud songs, a lot of people screaming and happily drunks dancing around. It didn’t matter, though. Will immediately grabbed the piece of paper on his pocket just as fast as Mac did the same.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You go first!” She said kind of euphoric. Part of her </span>
  <span>understanding</span>
  <span> that </span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span>o know</span>
  <span> what was on that list meant knowing what to expect from Will’s future and, hopefully, hers. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will exhaled, “Alright...”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s your number 1?” Mac asked bitting her lips. Will locked eyes with her. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be with Mac indefinitely.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he </span>
  <span>got</span>
  
  <span>goosebumps</span>
  <span> and</span>
  <span> widened her eyes, her throat almost closing, “Are you kidding me?” The emotion on her voice was palpable.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it too cheesy?” Will inferred worried he made a stupid mistake, but luckily Mac shook her head and turned her list for him to see her number 1.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always be with </span>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>ill</span>
  <span>.” She said pressing her lips trying to hide a big smile.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, God, I’m so glad we’re on the same page.” He said pulling her closer and kissing her lips. Mac stretched herself to throw her arms around his neck. </span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pushed back just enough to look Will in the eye, “What’s number 2?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still holding her on his arms, he looked away, “I don’t have one.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Billy...?”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” He shrugged, “I already have everything I ever wished for.”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, God!” Mac tilted her head to the back not knowing what she had done to deserve him.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” With his question, she looked on his eyes again.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you! That’s what!”</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, because it would be embarrassing after all of this if you didn’t...” His humour made her chuckle.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up, McAvoy.” Mac smiled leaning in to kiss him again. “Happy New Year.” The whisper still close to his lips.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy New Year, Mac.”</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you want, you can reach me at @ritshayworth on twitter! Thank you for reading!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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